Course Catalogue.

After attending this webinar, you will:

• Learn the value of planning and how to avoid disputes from the beginning of the project.
• Understand the "ins and outs" of a comprehensive scheduling specification and learn what needs to be included in a scheduling specification.
• Become knowledgeable about the value and use of a thoroughly drafted Payment for Changes clause.
• Learn the cost, value, and benefits of using a dispute resolution board.
• Identify the benefits and use of escrow bid documents, project partnering, pre-construction audits, project trending and short interval schedule submittals.
• Understand the use of standing negotiation teams and decision ladders.
• Learn some new ways to mitigate delay damages and avoid the need for complex cost negotiations and audits in the event of an owner-caused delay.
• Gain insight into ways to resolve claims on the projects and avoid the need to close out projects in a courtroom or arbitration hearing room.
• The webinar will conclude with an eleven-point checklist of actions owners can take to avoid disputes at the end of the project; and,
• Although the webinar is intended primarily for owners and their representatives, contractors will better understand the intent and operation of such clauses should they become involved in a project which has adopted some or all of these approaches.

Description:
Construction projects are a fertile breeding ground for claims - unless everything on the project proceeds exactly as planned. To avoid all claims, there must be no changes, no delays, no shortage of qualified craft labour, no late delivery of equipment and materials, no bad weather, etc. It is doubtful that anyone has ever seen this project in history. Even the pyramids in Egypt had changes, delays, and construction problems. However, claims (requests for additional time or money under the contract's provisions) do not have to result in disputes. Disputes arise when contractors and owners cannot resolve claims by negotiation and turn unresolved issues over to attorneys to resolve them in the legal arena.

This webinar is designed to show owners and their representatives how disputes can be avoided at the end of the project through upfront dispute resolution planning during the design, bid and construction phases of a project. The webinar discusses four types of reviews that should be applied to contract documents; the need for a comprehensive scheduling specification and payment for changes article; how to reduce claims based on large numbers of RFIs; how to pre-purchase owner-caused delay and lock in daily delay costs at the time of bidding; how to predict the weather for the project; and other techniques designed to precludes disputes at the end of the project by resolving issues without going to arbitration or litigation. 

Course outline:

• Introduction
• Claims Mitigation During the Design and Bid Phases
• Claims Mitigation during the Construction Phase
• How to Avoid Disputes - Owner's Perspective
• Conclusion
• Questions

Who should attend:
General contractors and their project managers • Project owners and their representatives • Design professionals • Construction managers • Construction attorneys