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Commercial Risk & NEC Contract Support for Highways and Utilities

Clear, pragmatic commercial support for live infrastructure projects operating under NEC contracts.

Commercial risk rarely comes from a single event. It develops quietly through unmanaged early warnings, poorly progressed compensation events, programme drift, and a lack of clear commercial visibility across delivery teams.

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Redguard provides targeted commercial risk and NEC contract support for highways, utilities and infrastructure projects, helping clients identify exposure early, regain control, and make confident decisions before issues escalate into disputes or margin erosion.

Who This Service Is For

This service is typically engaged by:

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  • Utilities and highways contractors operating under NEC3 and NEC4 contracts.

  • Delivery and commercial teams experiencing increasing cost or programme pressure.

  • Senior managers seeking clearer visibility of commercial exposure and risk.

When Commercial Risk Starts to Escalate

Commercial pressure often shows up as symptoms long before it becomes obvious:

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  • Compensation Events are late, poorly assessed, or not progressing.

  • Early Warning processes exist on paper but not in practice.

  • Programme changes are not being reflected commercially.

  • Site teams are focused on delivery with limited risk visibility.

  • Commercial decisions become reactive rather than strategic.

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Left unmanaged, these issues lead to:

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  • Lost entitlement.

  • Unrecoverable cost.

  • Programme disputes.

  • Strained client relationships.

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Commercial risk is not purely contractual — it is operational.

How REDGUARD Supports Commercial Risk Management

Redguard works alongside delivery, commercial and leadership teams to provide clear, proportionate commercial control, tailored to the realities of live projects rather than theoretical contract models.

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Support typically includes:

 
NEC Commercial Risk Review
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  • Assessment of current commercial position and exposure.

  • Identification of unmanaged or emerging commercial risk.

  • Review of Early Warning and Compensation Event discipline.

  • Alignment between programme, delivery and cost management.

 
Compensation Event Strategy & Support
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  • Practical support with CE identification, notification and assessment.

  • Strategic advice on timing, substantiation and commercial approach.

  • Improving the quality, consistency and credibility of submissions.

  • Supporting fair and defensible outcomes under NEC contracts.

 
Early Warning & Programme Integration
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  • Embedding Early Warning as a proactive commercial tool.

  • Improving linkage between programme change and commercial impact.

  • Supporting teams to manage risk early rather than retrospectively.

 
Commercial Governance & Assurance
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  • Independent review of commercial processes and behaviours.

  • Identification of gaps in systems, capability or governance.

  • Clear, implementable recommendations aligned to live delivery.

A Practical, Embedded Approach

Redguard works as an advisor producing generic reports.

Support is:

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  • Hands-on and proportionate.

  • Embedded within existing teams where required.

  • Focused on decision-making, not administration.

  • Aligned with operational reality as well as contract intent.

 

The objective is simple:

 

Reduce uncertainty, protect entitlement, and restore commercial confidence.

​Experience That Translates Into Real Outcomes

Redguard brings experience across:

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  • Highways and utilities delivery environments.

  • NEC3 and NEC4 contracts.

  • Framework and programme delivery.

  • The interface between operations, programme and commercial control.

 

This includes supporting teams where:

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  • Commercial risk had already begun to materialise.

  • Processes existed but were not effective in practice.

  • Greater clarity, structure and confidence were urgently required.

 

The value lies not in templates, but in judgement, timing and clarity.

When This Support Adds the Most Value

Commercial risk support is particularly effective when:

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  • A project is entering a high-change or high-pressure phase.

  • Compensation Events are accumulating or stagnating.

  • Delivery teams are under programme or cost pressure.

  • Commercial processes are inconsistent or stretched.

  • Senior management requires clearer visibility of exposure.

 

Early, proportionate intervention almost always reduces long-term cost and conflict.

​Talk to REDGUARD

If you would like to discuss:

 

  • Commercial risk on a live NEC project.

  • Improving Compensation Event outcomes.

  • Strengthening Early Warning and commercial governance.

 

You are welcome to get in touch for an initial conversation.

Commercial clarity creates delivery confidence.

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​Redguard provides commercial risk and NEC contract support for highways, utilities and infrastructure projects, supporting NEC3 and NEC4 commercial management, compensation events, early warning processes and commercial governance.

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→ Further insight: Managing Commercial Risk Under NEC4

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