Unlock opportunities with collaborative contracting and NEC4
Insights from Mark Simister, Managing Director, METAPHIC, at the NEC Contracts APAC Conference
Mark Simister, Managing Director of METAPHIC, brought his 30 years of expertise in program management, collaborative contracting, and integrated delivery frameworks to the NEC Contracts APAC Conference in Hong Kong last week. Speaking to an audience of government representatives and industry partners, Mark addressed how the challenges of delivering critical infrastructure are universal across markets and sectors.
From Sydney to Hong Kong, governments and their industry partners face increasing complexity in infrastructure delivery, driven by rising public expectations, sustainability demands, and the push for efficiency. As Mark highlighted, embracing collaborative contracting principles, supported by tools like the NEC4 suite of contracts, is a powerful way to navigate these challenges and unlock success.
Universal challenges
Mark emphasised that the issues faced by governments and industry—delivering on time, within budget, and to the required quality—are not confined to specific projects or regions. Whether it’s water infrastructure, transportation networks, or social assets, the need for collaboration, transparency, and adaptability is critical.
A key takeaway was how these challenges can be addressed through robust governance, clear communication, and proactive project management. “Effective collaboration must span the entire project lifecycle,” Mark noted, “from planning and design through to construction, operations, and maintenance.”
The role of NEC4 in collaborative contracting
The NEC4 suite of contracts plays a significant role in fostering collaboration. While NEC4 itself is not a collaborative contracting model, it is explicitly designed to enable and support collaborative principles. The suite includes contracts tailored to different project needs, covering design, construction, consultancy, maintenance, and supply.
What makes NEC4 stand out is its focus on proactive project management, clear language, and mutual trust. Its core clauses require parties to act in a “spirit of mutual trust and cooperation,” incentivising early identification and resolution of issues to avoid disputes and keep projects on track.
Mark illustrated these principles through the multi-billion dollar framework, and backbone of Sydney Water’s $35 billion 10-year program of contracts, Partnering for Success (P4S). The P4S model demonstrates how NEC4’s tools can be applied to align contracts with collaborative frameworks, ensuring large-scale projects are delivered efficiently and sustainably.
A call for collaboration
Mark’s presentation also underscored the importance of embedding the right behaviours and approaches to ensure long-term success. Collaborative contracting is not just about using the right form of contract—it’s about fostering a culture of partnership, trust, and shared objectives.
By leveraging frameworks like NEC4, governments and industry can meet the growing demands for infrastructure delivery while ensuring value for money, transparency, and accountability. As Mark aptly put it, “Collaboration is not an option; it’s an imperative for modern infrastructure delivery.”
About METAPHIC
METAPHIC works with government and industry partners to navigate the evolving landscape of major project delivery. From governance design to integrated delivery frameworks, we help clients position for success and embed collaborative principles at every stage of the project lifecycle.
