Dream the impossible dream - manageing the unmanegable

Getting your systems and processes right is important, but........

Don't sign anything 'til you've calculated the risk.

Have you signed up to this smoking gun in a contract recently?

1) The managing contractor may extend your completion date for any reason;

2) Delay by the managing contractor in giving access is not a breach of the subcontract and you acknowledge that this is likely to happen;

3) You may claim extensions of time (but you must meet the strict notice provisions to be entitled to an eot);

4) You are not entitled to claim the cost of delays for any reason;

5) Extensions of time are limited to extensions of time granted to the head contractor;

6) You are liable for any payment (including delay costs) paid to another contractor by the managing contractor, whether the managing contractor is legally or contractually obliged to pay or not. (ie., at the whim of the managing contractor); and finally.....

wait for it.........

7)  Damages for late completion up to $180,000 per day (that's $1.3 million per week and $5.5 million per month).

If so, you have signed up to pay the cost of something that is mostly or entirely outside your ability to manage or control.  Program delays and disruption occur for all kinds of reasons.  The most common are design changes; late design / documentation; late completion of activities or areas that you are dependent on.  Even if you manage your contract perfectly,  you will still be heavily penalised for the mistakes, delays and inefficiencies of the many other people and businesses you depend on. 

Do you have the ability to build this unknown, unquantifiable and unmanageable risk into your contract price?  What is it worth to assume this risk?  10 - 20% of the contract value? More?

If you can not price or manage a serious risk, you are well advised to consider whether you should sign up to such terms or take a cold bath and look for a better contract.