NEC ACCREDITED
APMG QUALIFIED
P6 / MS PROJECT / ASTA
NEC / JCT / FIDIC
WHERE THIS FITS
What happens in the mobilisation window
Between contract award and site start, five things need to happen in the right order. This is the stage most teams underplan. What gets set up here runs for the whole project.
âś“
2
3
4
→
Contract
Awarded
Tender accepted.
Clock starts.
Scope &
Constraints Mapped
Access windows, permits, interfaces and design dependencies confirmed and embedded in the logic.
Programme
Built & Assured
Logic-linked programme with procurement integrated, milestones set and reviewed before issue.
Baseline Locked &
Controls Set Up
Update cadence, cut-offs, progress rules and reporting format agreed and handed to the delivery team.
Site Start /
Mobilisation
Delivery team starts with a programme they can actually use and report against.
Without this: assumptions buried in a spreadsheet
Without this: no credible baseline to update from
Without this: reporting drifts from week one
The critical window
Stages 2–4 are where this service operates. Typically 4–12 weeks between award and site start, compressed on fast-track or framework projects.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
Set up to control, not just to start
Most pre-construction planning is built for the pitch. This is built for the delivery team that has to run it for the next eighteen months.
- 01
01
Procurement belongs in the logic, not in a separate spreadsheet
Long-lead items, work packages and material dependencies tied directly into the programme sequence. So "materials on site" is never an assumption. It is a date with a driver, visible in the critical path from day one.
- 02
02
The controls decisions made here run for the whole project
WBS coding, update cadence, cut-off rules, progress rules, reporting format. Everything the delivery team needs to run consistent updates. Agreed in pre-construction so the baseline lock is not a discussion at the first site meeting.
- 03
03
A stronger commercial position from the start of delivery
Clear assumptions, documented constraints and traceable interfaces mean that when change and delay need to be evidenced later, the record starts now, not reconstructed under pressure six months in.
Pre-construction through to completion. On a £20M carbon capture facility, NEC Planning Solutions was engaged from tender stage through pre-construction and into live delivery, building the baseline programme from first principles and maintaining it through continuous design change to practical completion. View case study ›
OUTPUTS
What the pre-construction pack contains
Five outputs that form a single hand-over pack: programme, constraints, procurement, narrative and controls set-up. Issued together so the delivery team has everything in one place.
FOUNDATION OUTPUT
Pre-construction programme & milestone plan
A logic-linked programme covering key stages, milestones and handovers, aligned to the intended construction approach and client submission expectations. Built in P6, MS Project or Asta.
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Logic-linked schedule from award to site start
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Key stages, milestones and handover dates
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Contract submission format where required (NEC Cl.31/32, JCT, FIDIC)
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Reviewed by an NEC Accredited Project Manager before issue
INTERFACE OUTPUT
Constraints & interface plan
A practical map of access windows, permits, third-party dependencies, design interfaces and commissioning requirements, embedded in the programme logic, not listed separately.
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Access windows and permit requirements
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Third-party and design interfaces
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Commissioning and handover constraints
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Interface assumptions documented for change reference
PROCUREMENT OUTPUT
Procurement & long-lead integration
Key long-lead items and work packages tied into the programme sequence so delivery dates are driven by logic, not assumption. Particularly critical on M&E, energy and industrial projects.
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Long-lead items identified and sequenced
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Work package dates tied to programme logic
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Procurement float and risk identification
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Materials-on-site dates visible in critical path
NARRATIVE OUTPUT
Programme narrative: basis of schedule
A concise written basis of schedule covering assumptions, constraints, key dates, sequencing rationale and interfaces. Suitable for internal governance, client submission and audit review.
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Sequencing rationale and constraint descriptions
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Assumptions explicitly listed, not buried
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Key dates and interface responsibilities
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Submission-ready for client review
CONTROLS OUTPUT
Mobilisation & controls set-up
The agreed structure the delivery team needs to run consistent, credible updates from day one without reinventing it at the first site meeting. This is the output that makes everything else sustainable through the delivery phase.
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WBS coding structure and activity naming conventions
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Calendar and data-date discipline agreed
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Progress rules and cut-off schedule confirmed
What gets handed over
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Update cadence and reporting rhythm confirmed in writing
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Reporting pack format and stakeholder distribution agreed
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Handover brief: how this programme is run and updated
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Optional: Programme Assurance Passport: a one-page governance summary for audit or client governance requirements
WHO IT'S FOR
Delivery teams preparing to start site, where the mobilisation window is finite
Particularly valuable where interfaces, access constraints, permits, long-lead procurement or design maturity can make or break the first 8–12 weeks.
WORKS FOR
HOW IT WORKS
From award to handover in three stages
No preparation needed. Send us the contract documents and what you have from tender. We'll confirm scope and fee in writing before any chargeable work begins.
STAGE 01
Define & align
Confirm scope boundaries, key dates, constraints, interfaces and the intended construction approach. Agree what "good" looks like: stakeholder needs, client submission requirements and what the delivery team will need to run updates.
Written scope before billing
STAGE 02
Build, integrate and review
Develop the programme logic, integrate constraints, procurement and interfaces, apply NEC-accredited governance checks. Produce the programme narrative in parallel so both documents tell the same story before they leave us.
NEC-accredited governance check
STAGE 03
Hand over & mobilise
Issue the full pre-construction pack: programme, narrative, constraints summary and controls set-up, with a brief handover session so the delivery team can run updates from the first data date without reinventing anything.
Full pack · Handover session
PRICING
Scoped to your project, confirmed before billing
Pre-construction pricing reflects the complexity of your constraints, interface count, procurement scope and the controls set-up required. Exact fee is confirmed after a short review of your project documents.
ENGAGEMENT STRUCTURE
FIXED-FEE OPTIONS
Fixed fee where scope allows, otherwise a defined upper limit. Confirmed before any chargeable work begins.
SCOPE CONFIRMED IN WRITING
Outputs, fee and timeline confirmed before chargeable work begins.
INITIAL SCOPING AT NO CHARGE
A short call to confirm fit, scope and next step.
MINIMUMS AGREED UPFRONT
Any monthly cycle or minimum period is confirmed before work starts.
NEW £
Smaller scope
From £2,000
Single-phase, limited interfaces
Pre-construction pack with programme, narrative and controls set-up.
Standard scope
From £4,000
Multi-interface or procurement-heavy
Constraints plan, procurement integration, handover session. Built so the controls team can pick it up.
NEW £
Complex scope
Scoped
Infrastructure, energy, multi-package
Scoped after project documents reviewed. Larger programmes and multi-package delivery.
LIVE
Pricing confirmed after a short review of your contract documents and scope. See full pricing
Ready to set up delivery properly?
Tell us the contract type, project stage and your site start date. We'll confirm the right scope and fee in writing before work begins, and we can turn a pre-construction pack around inside your mobilisation window.
Or send your current programme for an initial review of logic at no charge and contract alignment. No obligation to proceed.
Initial programme review at no charge, with no obligation to proceed.