The purpose of this article is to explore the Task Order (TO) module for the NEC4 TSC contract type, detailing how to navigate the register, create & reply to events and how to raise compensation events (CE) within.
Video content is available below.
For information about payment assessments and the total value of Task Orders, please see the Detailed Breakdown in NEC TSC Contracts section of our Detailed and Non-Detailed Breakdown - Payment Assessments help article.
The below article is based upon the NEC4 TSC contract type and the terminology reflects this. Certain actions may be unavailable if you do not have the appropriate permissions. Please speak with your Admin User if this is the case.
All TOs on the contract will be stored within this register, including a basic overview of each event. It is also possible to click on each event for more information and additional actions.
In order to access the TO register, first navigate to the left-hand expandable menu, then select Registers followed by Task Orders:
The different states of TOs within the register are listed below:
- Draft: TO which is currently in draft state
- Void: TO which has been marked as void (this can only be done if the event is in draft state)
- Black T: A Task that has been communicated
- Grey T which is crossed out: A Task that has not been progressed to a TO
- Black TO: TO which has been instructed and is ongoing
- Blue TO: TO which has been marked as completed
Once a TO or Task has been created, click anywhere on the relevant row within the TO register to access the event.
To void a draft event, select the three dots at the end of the TO item, and select Mark this draft event as VOID on the pop-up:
To review the Task Order toolbar options, such as the filter and downloading the register, please see our help desk article here- Event Register
Only the Client may raise a Task. This is done by navigating to the left-hand expandable menu and selecting Create New followed by Task:
When creating a new Task you will be presented with the below edit form. The highlighted fields are mandatory and must be completed before the event can be communicated:
Selecting Consult Contractor will make the draft event visible and accessible to the Contractor in their TO register:
Unlike in NEC3 contracts, it is not possible to price a TO while the event is in draft status.
When selecting Send / Progress, the event will become a Task and given a Task reference (e.g. T-5). The Contractor will now be able to submit quotations as required (by utilising the Quotations/SMA tab).
Whilst the event is in Task status you also have the option to select Don’t Progress:
When selecting Don’t Progress you will be prompted to provide details of this decision:
This will stop the event from progressing any further and Users will no longer be able to add quotations, notes or attachments. It will also appear in the register grey and struck through:
Once the Client has created a new Task, a reminder is generated for the Contractor, prompting them to submit a quotation. You can select the reminder to open the event. Alternatively, this event can be accessed through the Task Order register.
A draft quotation is generated when the Task is created, this is for the Contractor to use for pricing the Task:
Selecting the draft will open the below edit screen, here the Contractor can either add items from a price list or add non-price list items:
Selecting Add Item from Price List will open the below screen, here you can add the quantities of the items as required. To save these changes they will need to select Make changes and return to QTE:
Price list items can be edited by Admin Users in the CEMAR Admin Panel.
Selecting Add Non-Price List Item will open the below screen, here you can add other prices that may not be included on a pre-set price list:
Once all the relevant prices have been added, select Send / Progress to submit the quotation:
Once a Quote has been submitted by the Contractor, a reminder will be generated for the Client, prompting them to reply. You are able to open the event by selecting the reminder. Alternatively, this event can be accessed through the Task Order register.
In the Reply tab, there are several options to choose from:
Accept the quotation and issue the Task Order - Choosing this option will accept the quotation and instruct the Task Order and the event reference will change, in this example, T-5 will become TO-5:
Instruct a revised Quotation - This option will create a new draft quote in the Task, the previous quote will appear in red text and will be superseded by the revised quotation:
Service Manager will be making the assessment - After selecting this, the Client will now have the option to Add new Assessment:
Adding an assessment will supersede any quotations submitted and instruct the Task Order.
Notify that the Task will not be instructed - Selecting this will close the Task and it will appear in the register in grey text and struck through.
If the quotation is accepted, you will notice that the Payment (PSPD) tab is now available. Within here, the Client can prime this tab with the Full Task price list and CEs, or the Structure of Task price list and CEs:
Selecting the first option will copy all the items exactly as they are and will insert a non-price list item per each CE.
Selecting the second option will copy all the items and will insert a non-price list item per each CE but with no pricing/quantity information. This is so Users can adjust the quantities/prices to make partial payments before making the full payment.
There is a preference available in the contract setup within the admin panel which will lock any non-price list items once a payment event has been communicated.
Having this preference switched on will mean that when an AFP or a PA is communicated, any non-price list items that were added to the PSPD column of any Task Orders since the communication of the last AFP/PA will be locked for editing - meaning they can no longer be amended or deleted.
PSPD Tab whilst non-price list items are editable:
When the next AFP/PA is communicated, the fields are then locked down and the Date column is present, highlighting the date on which the items were locked down:
PSPD Non-Price List Item locking can be switched on by your Admin user within the CEMAR Admin Panel. Should you wish to switch on this preference, please contact your Admin User.
A new TO-CE can be raised by navigating to the Compensation Events tab within the event and selecting Create New CE:The highlighted fields will need to be completed before the event can be communicated:
TO.CEs can also be viewed in the CE register within the Task Order Compensation tab:
For further information on compensation events, please click here.
Once the Contractor deems the TO as complete, they can notify the Employer via the Payment (PSPD) tab within the event:
The Client can then select Service Manager Verifies, this will mark the TO as complete and no further TO-CEs can be added to this event:
The Client will be presented with the below pop up:
The TO will not be marked complete until the Client has selected Service Manager verifies. The Client can select this option and mark the event complete even if the Contractor has not selected Contractor considers this Task is complete.
The Client will be able to deselect Service Manager verifies and reopen the TO.