FIDIC Claims, Disputes and Contract Administration: A Practical Masterclass Training Course
1Summary
A missed notice deadline or a poorly substantiated variation can turn a legitimate FIDIC entitlement into a lost claim overnight — a risk that contract, commercial, and legal teams live with on every major project. This masterclass moves beyond theory to build the practical judgement needed to administer FIDIC contracts with confidence, construct claims that hold up under scrutiny, and know precisely when and how to escalate a dispute.
Participants work through the mechanics of extension of time entitlement, the notice and time-bar traps that catch out even experienced teams, and the correct evaluation of variations under FIDIC conditions of contract. The programme then moves into dispute boards and arbitration, giving contract, commercial, and legal professionals a clear, tested route from a well-built claim to a resolved dispute.
Delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy through its FIDIC Claims, Disputes and Contract Administration Masterclass Training Course, this programme gives professionals the advanced, hands-on command of FIDIC claims and dispute mechanisms they need to protect their organisation's position at every stage.
2Objectives and target group
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
- Time-bar-proof a claim by managing notice requirements and deadlines with precision
- Build and defend extension of time claims backed by solid evidence
- Evaluate variations under FIDIC conditions and quantify their time and cost impact
- Apply advanced contract management practices that reduce claims exposure across the FIDIC lifecycle
- Prepare cause-and-effect analysis and evidential records that stand up to challenge
- Take a dispute through the dispute board process and understand its role in early resolution
- Navigate the escalation route from negotiation to arbitration under FIDIC
- Respond to claims received from the employer or engineer with a well-reasoned position
Who Should Attend
- Contract managers and contract administrators working under FIDIC
- Claims consultants and dispute resolution professionals
- Quantity surveyors and commercial managers
- Project and construction managers with claims responsibilities
- In-house counsel and legal advisors on construction contracts
- Consultants and client-side teams managing FIDIC claims and disputes
3Course Content
Module 1: Why FIDIC Claims Go Wrong (and How to Get Ahead of Them)
- The employer, contractor, and engineer roles in claims and disputes
- A quick recap of FIDIC contract structure and the clauses that matter most in a dispute
- Contract management practices that reduce claims exposure from day one
Module 2: Extension of Time: Grounds, Notices and Time-Bars
- Grounds for extension of time under FIDIC
- Notice requirements and time-bar provisions that can defeat a valid claim
- Preparing and assessing extension of time claims
Module 3: Variations: Instruction, Valuation and Impact
- Instructing and evaluating variations under FIDIC
- Valuing variations and their impact on time and cost
- Common disputes arising from variations and how to avoid them
Module 4: From Facts to a Defensible Claim
- Building a well-substantiated claim
- Cause-and-effect analysis and evidential requirements
- Responding to claims as employer or engineer
Module 5: Dispute Boards and the Road to Arbitration
- Role and function of the Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) and DAAB
- Referring disputes to the dispute board process and using it for early avoidance
- Escalation from dispute boards to arbitration, and strategic considerations beforehand
- Overview of the arbitration process under FIDIC contracts
Module 6: Masterclass Practice: Real FIDIC Case Studies
- Case studies in FIDIC claims and dispute resolution
- Workshop-based claim drafting and evaluation exercises
- Lessons learned from real FIDIC disputes