- The challenge
- A project in Sweden had accumulated approximately €37 million in variations requiring structured review and commercial resolution.
- John’s approach
- John introduced a disciplined variation review and negotiation process. He separated supported entitlement from unsupported or overstated amounts and worked systematically through the outstanding position.
- The outcome
- Over approximately six months, the overall variation position reduced from €37 million to €24 million.
- Relevance to your project
- For a steelwork team preparing or assessing variations, the relevant focus is a clear connection between the contractual basis, supporting records and valuation.
- The challenge
- A reimbursable project moving towards a lump-sum arrangement needed a consistent way to identify and manage numerous small changes.
- John’s approach
- John introduced a structured change-management process with a clear change register, regular departmental reviews and formal notification of changes.
- The outcome
- The team gained better visibility and control of changes before they could accumulate into a larger commercial problem.
- Relevance to your project
- For fabricators, a comparable review can focus on how drawing revisions, site instructions and changes to installation arrangements reach the commercial team and enter the change register.
- The challenge
- A package valued at approximately US$260 million had reached a prolonged impasse over safety-related wording and requirements.
- John’s approach
- John worked through the underlying issue and supporting project information, then reframed the wording to establish a commercially workable position.
- The outcome
- The long-running impasse was resolved without unnecessary escalation.
- Relevance to your project
- When negotiations stall over scope or contractual wording, the first task is to understand the underlying requirement and establish exactly where the parties disagree.
- The challenge
- A project urgently needed heating to protect equipment and support the programme. The contract was worth approximately €15 million, with limited time available for negotiation.
- John’s approach
- John focused the review on material contractual risks and commercial points, working through the agreement so mobilisation could proceed.
- The outcome
- The contract progressed in approximately two weeks.
- Relevance to your project
- This example shows John’s approach to commercial priorities when a project team needs to progress an urgent package within a limited negotiation period.
- The challenge
- A vessel package with a budget of approximately US$15 million was developing cost pressure and needed early commercial attention.
- John’s approach
- John tracked the emerging position, identified the likely overrun early and maintained visibility of the forecast final cost.
- The outcome
- The package finished approximately 8% over budget. The forecasting work made the developing pressure visible before completion.
- Relevance to your project
- For a steelwork package, a commercial review can examine the forecast final cost, outstanding changes and the assumptions behind the reported position.
- The challenge
- Project teams needed a practical way to work with contracts running to hundreds of pages.
- John’s approach
- John created concise contract playbooks of around ten pages, bringing together key obligations covering notices, variations, payment, extensions of time and claims.
- The outcome
- The playbooks gave delivery and commercial teams an accessible reference for day-to-day contract management.
- Relevance to your project
- A steelwork team can use this approach to make project responsibilities and relevant contract provisions easier to find during delivery.
