International law firm Simmons & Simmons has teamed up with members of the Bouwgenootschap, a think tank of Duurzaam Gebouwd, to develop a new ‘Dutch Early Contract Involvement’ agreement model, in Dutch bouwteam.

New model

Adapting early contractor involvement ties in with the strong and growing need in the building industry for constructive and flexible employer and contractor collaboration. Technical, stakeholder and risk related challenges increase the complexity of construction projects. At the same time, sustainability and circularity are gaining importance. Such circumstances call for enhanced forms of construction contracting based on collaboration and a joint approach. The new model uses that ambition as its guiding principle, steering towards active collaboration and transparency while taking the interests of both parties into account. The initiative for the new model came from Simmons & Simmons managing associate, Andrea Chao and other members of the Bouwgenootschap. The result of their effort was presented during a joint-session at the firm’s Amsterdam office, which was attended by nearly 200 people.

Design phase

This initiative showcases how the firm’s wider real estate and projects team, in the Netherlands, led by partners, Luc Cohen and Rob Hendriks, contributes to developments within the market. Ms Chao comments, “In essence, involving contractors during the design phase can significantly increase the chances of projects being completed on time, within budget and without disputes.” The model (in Dutch) is now open for consultation and can be downloaded here for free.