On construction projects, time extensions may be requested for a variety of reasons. They are used to demonstrate that delays have occurred in the construction schedule that affects the project completion date. All-time extensions are usually related to delays beyond the contractor’s control, and many involve change order requests. Time extension requests are normally specified in a contract provision and must be made following the steps and documentation requirements defined in the contract guidelines.
Using Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) like PMWeb, the project management team can improve the process for managing, monitoring, and evaluating the extension of time (EOT) requests. Using PMWeb form builder, a form will be created to submit, review, approve or reject the EOT request. The form will include the required fields that need to be completed by the contractor who is submitting the EOT request such as contract number and title, details of the delay, the reason for EOT entitlement, the amount of time extension requested in working days, and the amount of claimed financial compensation. The form will also include the fields that will be completed by the Project Owner or his authorized agent. Those will include a response on the requested extension of time if partially rejected, the number of work days being rejected, the reason for the extension of time request, the approved financial compensation, and the new date for the project’s practical completion date.
The form will also include a checklist of items that the supporting documents that the contractor should confirm were completed and are part of the extension of time submission. The form could also include other checklists that could be needed when it comes to reviewing and analyzing the extension of time request. View and edit of those checklists will be limited to the Project Owner and his authorized agents.
The form attachment tab will be used to upload and attach all supportive documents as well as link other PMWeb records and imported MS Outlook emails that are needed to support the extension of time request. Those could include daily reports, RFIs, and meeting minutes among others.
The workflow tab will detail the status of the extension of time request review and approval. The workflow will detail the actions and date of actions for those individuals who are part of the workflow process. The workflow will be used to update the status of the extension of time request.
PMWeb reporting tool will be also used to create the extension of the time request form that needs to be submitted formally to the project owner or his authorized agent requesting the time extension and the reasons why those days should be added to the construction schedule. The form will be designed in the form and format required for the project and is usually detailed in the project execution plan.
The status and details of all submitted extension of time requests will be captured in the Extension of Time (EOT) Requests Register. The register will include a tabular log that shows the details of all submitted extension of time requests. It will include visuals to detail the EQT requests by reason, approved or awarded EOT requests by reason, EOT awarded financial compensation by reason, and total submitted EOT claims by status. The register will also display the current extended project completion date.
About the Author
Bassam Samman, PMP, PSP, EVP, GPM is a Senior Project Management Consultant with more than 35-year service record providing project management and control services to over 100 projects with a total value of over the US $5 Billion. Those projects included Commercial, Residential, Education and Healthcare Buildings and Infrastructure, Entertainment and Shopping Malls, Oil and Gas Plants and Refineries, and Telecommunication and Information Technology projects. He is thoroughly experienced in complete project management including project management control systems, computerized project control software, claims analysis/prevention, risk analysis/management (contingency planning), design, supervision, training, and business development.
Bassam is a frequent speaker on topics relating to Project Management, Strategic Project Management, and Project Management Personal Skills. Over the past 35 years, he has lectured at more than 350 events and courses at different locations in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and South America. He has written more than 250 articles on project management and project management information systems that were featured in international and regional magazines and newspapers. He is a co-founder of the Project Management Institute- Arabian Gulf Chapter (PMI-AGC) and has served on its board of directors for more than 6 years. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI), a certified Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP), and Earned Value Professional (EVP) from the American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE) and Green Project Management (GPM).
Bassam holds a Masters in Engineering Administration (Construction Management) with Faculty Commendation, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA, Bachelor in Civil Engineering – Kuwait University, Kuwait and has attended many executive management programs at Harvard Business School, Boston, USA and London Business School, London, UK.