5.

Procedure for granting EOT

Subject to the contract requirements, the EOT should be granted to the extent that the
Employer Risk Event is reasonably predicted to prevent the works being completed by
the then prevailing contract completion date. In general, this will be where the
Employer Risk Event impacts the critical path of the works and thus extends the
contract completion date. This assessment should be based upon an appropriate delay
analysis, the conclusions derived from which must be sound from a common sense
perspective. The goal of the EOT procedure is the ascertainment of the appropriate
contractual entitlement to an EOT; the analysis should not start from a position of
considering whether the Contractor needs an EOT in order not to be liable for liquidated
damages.

6. Effect of delay
For an EOT to be granted, it is not necessary for the Employer Risk Event already to
have begun to affect the Contractor’s progress with the works, or for the effect of the
Employer Risk Event to have ended.

7. Incremental review of EOT

Where the full effect of an Employer Risk Event cannot be predicted with certainty at
the time of initial assessment by the CA, the CA should grant an EOT for the then
predictable effect. The EOT should be considered by the CA at intervals as the actual
impact of the Employer Risk Event unfolds and the EOT increased (but not decreased,
unless there are express contract terms permitting this) if appropriate.

8. Float as it relates to time

Float values in a programme are an indication of the relative criticality of activities and,
generally, when float is exhausted, the completion date will be impacted. Unless there
is express provision to the contrary in the contract, where there is remaining total float
in the programme at the time of an Employer Risk Event, an EOT should only be
granted to the extent that the Employer Delay is predicted to reduce to below zero the
total float on the critical path affected by the Employer Delay to Completion (i.e. if the
Employer Delay is predicted to extend the critical path to completion).

9. Identification of float
The identification of float is greatly assisted where there is a properly prepared and
regularly updated programme, the Accepted/Updated Programmes.

10. Concurrent delay – effect on entitlement to EOT

True concurrent delay is the occurrence of two or more delay events at the same time,
one an Employer Risk Event, the other a Contractor Risk Event, and the effects of which
are felt at the same time. For concurrent delay to exist, each of the Employer Risk Event
and the Contractor Risk Event must be an effective cause of Delay to Completion (i.e.
the delays must both affect the critical path). Where Contractor Delay to Completion
occurs or has an effect concurrently with Employer Delay to Completion, the
Contractor’s concurrent delay should not reduce any EOT due.

SCL Delay and Disruption Protocol 2nd Edition: February 2017 6