ABSTRACT
Between the selection of the contract and the start of work on site, various processes will need to be undertaken: preparing the tender package and tendering; post-tender negotiations and appointment of the contractor; and formal execution of the contract. There will also be a pre-contract meeting, at which various matters are agreed. This chapter outlines the processes and considers particular matters that arise in relation to the Royal Institute of British Architect (RIBA) Building Contracts. Normally, for projects of the scale for which the RIBA Building Contracts are intended, one of two methods will be used: competitive tendering with a small number of contractors, or negotiation with a single contractor. The client’s consultants will normally suggest which contractors should be considered, but the client may have worked successfully with firms before, or may have been recommended a firm by others, in which case those firms can also be included.
