A contract that looks solid on paper can still fall apart the moment a real dispute or delay hits a project — and that gap between "signed" and "actually protects everyone’s interests" is exactly where this course by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy operates. In today’s project environment, the ability to negotiate collaboratively and manage a contract through its full lifecycle isn’t a legal afterthought; it’s one of the clearest levers a project team has for reducing risk and keeping delivery on track.

Across the programme, participants move from drafting flexible contracts that protect every party’s rights, through monitoring compliance as the project runs, to identifying and analysing the risks most likely to trigger a dispute — building a practical toolkit for stronger contract outcomes and smoother project execution.

Who Should Attend?

• Project management teams and procurement or supply chain specialists.
• Contract managers and negotiators, along with legal advisors specialising in contracts.
• Compliance and legal-review staff, and anyone looking to build negotiation and contract-management skills within a project environment.

Programme Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Negotiate more effectively to reach agreement between parties with different interests.
• Draft and manage contracts that protect all parties’ rights while supporting the project’s commercial goals.
• Apply contract-management tools and techniques that reduce risk and help resolve disputes.
• Improve contract-management strategies so that all parties honour the agreement and the project reaches a successful close.

Module 1: Contracts as a Risk-Management Tool

• Role of contracts in protecting rights and interests.
• Defining project scope and objectives through contracts.
• Relationship between contracts and project risk management.
• Main contract types: fixed-price, cost-based, contracts with delay penalties, and multi-party contracts.

Module 2: Negotiation Fundamentals for Project Teams

• Definition and objectives of negotiation; competitive versus collaborative approaches.
• Core negotiation strategies and prioritisation techniques.
• Active listening and asking the right questions.
• Reaching win-win outcomes in collaborative negotiation.

Module 3: Analysing Positions and Closing Agreements

• Identifying and evaluating alternatives and tactics.
• Assessing the legal and financial position of each party.
• Estimating potential gains and losses during negotiation.
• Reaching a settlement that satisfies all parties and drafting clear terms.

Module 4: Drafting and Managing Contracts

• Step-by-step contract drafting, from first draft to final version.
• Defining performance clauses and execution guarantees.
• Setting timelines and payment mechanisms.
• Monitoring compliance and reducing legal risk during execution.

Module 5: Handling Amendments, Guarantees, and Penalties

• Managing urgent amendment requests and documenting changes legally.
• How contract amendments affect the wider project.
• Understanding guarantees and their effect on execution.
• Defining penalties for non-compliance and the legal steps available.

Module 6: Resolving Disputes and Reviewing Performance

• Tools for resolving disputes between contracting parties, including mediation and arbitration.
• Negotiating settlements with minimal impact on project delivery.
• Identifying legal and financial contract risks and forecasting them early.
• Evaluating completed contracts and using lessons learned to improve future agreements.