Construction and Design Contracts: A Management Masterclass
1Summary
A construction project rarely fails because of bad engineering — it fails because of a badly managed contract: unclear tender terms, disputes that drag on, or a hand-off between design and construction that nobody owns. This Construction and Design Contracts: A Management Masterclass, delivered by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, is built around that reality.
Rather than treating contract management as paperwork, the course walks engineers, contract managers, project supervisors and legal staff through the full lifecycle — from tender bids and contract formation to the day-to-day activities that keep a construction contract under control until completion.
2Objectives and target group
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Manage design and construction contracts from tender stage through to close-out.
- Apply the core principles and procedures of contract management with confidence.
- Handle every stage of a contract, from preparation to implementation.
- Navigate the legal branches and applications relevant to construction contracts.
- Manage contractual disputes and understand the procedures involved.
- Draft contracts and administrative resolutions with a solid legal grounding.
Who Should Attend
- Industrial and government personnel responsible for contract management on site.
- Staff responsible for preparing contract documentation.
- Engineers, contract managers, construction and project managers, project engineers, supervisors and field staff dealing with contractors.
- Managers and directors of companies and enterprises.
- Legal department staff in business and commercial firms.
- Business owners and shareholders.
3Course Content
Module 1: From Tender to Signature
- Core definitions and concepts of design and construction contracts.
- The tender process and how bids are assessed.
- Authenticating and formally concluding the contract.
Module 2: Running the Contract Day to Day
- Stages of the contract conclusion process.
- Managing the working relationship with contractors.
- The procurement department's role and responsibilities.
Module 3: Governance — Ethics, Meetings and Monitoring
- Ethics of formal and contractual dealings with contractors.
- Core principles of contract management.
- Meetings, reporting, and why timeframes matter.
- Advanced monitoring techniques throughout execution.
Module 4: When Contracts Go Wrong
- Common causes of claims and complaints on construction contracts.
- Spotting early warning signs before disputes escalate.
Module 5: Closing Out the Project
- Project completion procedures.
- Coordination between parties at close-out.
- Handover and final documentation.