Updated Guidance Note on Dispute Avoidance and Resolution published

Disputes, should they arise on construction contracts, can result in a serious drain on resources and have a detrimental impact on relationships across the project team.

A significant update to the Guidance Note 3.1.1 on Dispute Avoidance and Resolution has been published, as part of the ongoing review of the Capital Works Management Framework.

The guidance has been updated to reflect:

• The introduction of the process to facilitate reciprocal co operation
• The wider role of the Standing Conciliator
• The use of Institutional Arbitration where the parties cannot agree, or the circumstances around the dispute do not permit, the use of the fast track procedure

The forms of dispute resolution and avoidance included in the suite of Public Works Contracts include the Dispute Management Procedure, Conciliation, Arbitration and the courts.

The Guidance note can be read on the CWMF website