{
  "query": "NEC4 contract quotation assessment criteria UK construction benchmarks 2026",
  "claims": [
    {
      "claim": "NEC4 compensation events are assessed prospectively, with the contractor submitting a quotation for time and cost impacts before work is carried out.",
      "verbatim_quote": "The key differentiator is that compensation events are intended to be assessed \"prospectively.\" The contractor submits a quotation detailing both the time and cost impacts of the event, and the Project Manager assesses this before the work associated with the compensation event is carried out.",
      "source_url": "https://archdesk.com/blog/jct-nec-contracts-uk-guide-2026",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "The Project Manager has a two-week window to respond to a contractor's quotation, with options to accept, request a revision, or make their own assessment.",
      "verbatim_quote": "The PM has two weeks from the Contractor's last submitted quotation to respond. The PM may accept the quotation, instruct a revised quotation, or make their own assessment under clause 64.",
      "source_url": "https://www.gatherinsights.com/en/nec4/response-periods",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Time impacts in NEC4 are assessed based on the delay to planned Completion relative to the Accepted Programme at the 'dividing date'.",
      "verbatim_quote": "A delay to the Completion Date is assessed as the length of time that, due to the compensation event, planned Completion is later than planned Completion as shown on the Accepted Programme current at the dividing date.",
      "source_url": "https://www.neccontract.com/news/understanding-the-critical-%E2%80%98f-words%E2%80%99-that-make-nec-contracts-different?srsltid=AfmBOoqSVhjujHOAhM9WGS5suDrZZS0IRQm0s7-2-aTQdL4isD3lNTLd",
      "relevance": "high"
    },
    {
      "claim": "Under NEC4, if a Project Manager fails to respond to a quotation within two weeks, the contractor can trigger 'deemed acceptance' by issuing a notification.",
      "verbatim_quote": "If the PM does not reply within two weeks, the Contractor may notify the PM that the quotation is treated as accepted. The Contractor must actively issue this notification — deemed acceptance is not triggered automatically by the passage of time.",
      "source_url": "https://www.gatherinsights.com/en/nec4/response-periods",
      "relevance": "medium"
    },
    {
      "claim": "The assessment of delay in NEC4 is considered a forecast based on the forward-looking accepted programme.",
      "verbatim_quote": "While the word ‘forecast’ is missing here, the delay to planned completion to be assessed is based on the forwardlooking accepted programme and so, like cost, assessment of delay is very much a forecast.",
      "source_url": "https://www.neccontract.com/news/understanding-the-critical-%E2%80%98f-words%E2%80%99-that-make-nec-contracts-different?srsltid=AfmBOoqSVhjujHOAhM9WGS5suDrZZS0IRQm0s7-2-aTQdL4isD3lNTLd",
      "relevance": "high"
    }
  ],
  "market_context": "- [HIGH] NEC4 compensation events are assessed prospectively, with the contractor submitting a quotation for time and cost impacts before work is carried out. (source: https://archdesk.com/blog/jct-nec-contracts-uk-guide-2026)\n- [HIGH] The Project Manager has a two-week window to respond to a contractor's quotation, with options to accept, request a revision, or make their own assessment. (source: https://www.gatherinsights.com/en/nec4/response-periods)\n- [HIGH] Time impacts in NEC4 are assessed based on the delay to planned Completion relative to the Accepted Programme at the 'dividing date'. (source: https://www.neccontract.com/news/understanding-the-critical-%E2%80%98f-words%E2%80%99-that-make-nec-contracts-different?srsltid=AfmBOoqSVhjujHOAhM9WGS5suDrZZS0IRQm0s7-2-aTQdL4isD3lNTLd)\n- [MEDIUM] Under NEC4, if a Project Manager fails to respond to a quotation within two weeks, the contractor can trigger 'deemed acceptance' by issuing a notification. (source: https://www.gatherinsights.com/en/nec4/response-periods)\n- [HIGH] The assessment of delay in NEC4 is considered a forecast based on the forward-looking accepted programme. (source: https://www.neccontract.com/news/understanding-the-critical-%E2%80%98f-words%E2%80%99-that-make-nec-contracts-different?srsltid=AfmBOoqSVhjujHOAhM9WGS5suDrZZS0IRQm0s7-2-aTQdL4isD3lNTLd)"
}