Basically the role of a contract administrator (CA) is to manage contracts made between building contractors, employers, and clients.
Their responsibility is to administer construction contracts, whereby they may act as project managers , engineers, consultants, or client representatives.
This includes making sure that the other party has received payment for services rendered as well as providing any necessary assistance to make sure the work is completed.
The CA will ordinarily have a range of responsibilities and duties.
In broad terms, these responsibilities and duties will include ensuring the contractual procedure provided for is followed and managing the day-to-day running of the contract.
The scope of the responsibilities and duties resting with the contract administrator will vary depending on the contract between the parties.
An example of this is that under the JCT form of contract, the CA may be required to determine when practical completion is achieved, approve the quality of materials to be used or provide instructions if there are discrepancies in the documentation.
Under the NEC form of contract, he or she is the project manager, and the role therefore extends to proactively managing the project.
The position may be undertaken by a range of individuals, these include architects, engineers, building surveyors, quantity surveyors, or any agent of the employer.
The role of the CA starts at the contract award stage and continues throughout the life of the contract.
The role does not technically commence until a building contract is in place between the employer and the contractor.
However, there may be an implied requirement for the contract administrator to perform pre-contract services, which will be covered by a formal or informal arrangement with the employer.
The contract administrator’s role will usually be determined by the method of procurement, while the contract administrator’s duties will be derived from the form of building contract.
The professional appointment for the CA will usually set out the 'standard of care' to be exercised by the CA.
The role of the contracts administrator can add real value to a construction project—ensuring that the construction contract is administered fairly and effectively.
Selecting an experienced CA and ensuring that roles are clearly defined from the start are the keys to a successful contract administrator relationship.
I hope that now the answer to the question What Does a Contract Administrator do is much clearer?
To get in touch please click HCS Contact Us
Call 01538 711777
Email hello@hc-services.uk
Meet our team? https://hc-services.uk/about-hcs/
