Rail and infrastructure systems.

Where the experience comes from

Senior commercial leadership on a rail and infrastructure programme exceeding £500m, under a mix of NEC3, ICC and bespoke contract forms. International systems supply across Europe and Asia. Programme commercial governance, change management, claims strategy and subcontract commercial governance across multi-year delivery.

The commercial mechanics that win on alliance and target-cost rail delivery (notice rhythm, programme-tied claims, transparent cost reporting, disciplined CE pipeline management) translate directly to the rail programmes now being delivered across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The contract forms differ; the underlying disciplines rhyme. International contractors winning Gulf rail packages tend to be FIDIC-fluent and considerably less familiar with the alliance and target-cost discipline that has driven contractor recovery on equivalent programmes elsewhere.

What the work usually involves

Pre-contract: tender commercial strategy, contract review focused on the specific rail-systems clauses (interface management, integrated testing, free-issue equipment), risk pricing on the international supply package, and Particular Conditions amendments to FIDIC standard forms.

Mid-project: change management on a programme where the change volume is constant. Notice administration discipline. Programme-tied time-impact assessments. CE pipeline management under NEC, or Sub-Clause 20.1 discipline under FIDIC.

Disputes: claims strategy for delays driven by interface or integration issues, subcontract commercial recovery, and DAAB / arbitration support where formal proceedings are unavoidable.

Relevant insights

On commercial discipline in rail-relevant contract forms:

• Programme is the contract: why your NEC Accepted Programme decides every claim
• Five ways contractors lose money on NEC compensation events (and how to stop)
• FIDIC Sub-Clause 20.1: the notice that decides every claim