NEC Contracts has launched NEC Digital, a new online contract drafting platform designed to transform how the construction industry approaches contract management. Rekha Thawrani OBE, Global Director at NEC Contracts, explains why the industry needs this digital transformation and how it will reshape collaborative contracting for the modern era
The digital gap in contract management
While the construction industry has embraced technological innovation across almost every aspect of project delivery, one critical area has remained stubbornly resistant to change: contract drafting and management. For decades, paper-based contracts have dominated the sector.
Some progress has been made through digitisation, with paper contracts converted into electronic versions that are easier to access and share. However, this represents only a surface-level change. True digital transformation – with all the efficiency gains, collaborative benefits and quality improvements it promises – has remained out of reach. As projects grow increasingly complex and involve more stakeholders, these traditional approaches are no longer fit for purpose.
A platform built for collaboration
NEC Digital represents a fundamental shift in how contracts are created and managed. Rather than simply providing a digital replica of paper contracts, the platform has been designed to transform user interaction with NEC contracts, enhancing both quality and collaboration.
The service embodies NEC Contracts’ foundational principles of clarity, simplicity and collaboration, with every feature developed specifically to meet the needs of clients, contractors, consultants and project teams. By simplifying the collaborative contracting process, NEC Digital removes barriers that have previously prevented some organisations from adopting these practices, driving wider adoption across the industry.
Intelligent features for better contracts
At its core, NEC Digital is an advanced online drafting tool designed to streamline every stage of the contract creation process. The platform provides access to all NEC4 Contract main options, the full range of secondary options, and automatic dispute option selection. The intelligent contract configuration system allows users to select main and secondary clauses tailored to their specific project requirements. A revolutionary side-by-side clause navigator provides a live view of selected options and relevant clauses, making contract navigation intuitive and remarkably efficient. To save time and ensure consistency across multiple projects, the platform includes a comprehensive personalised Z clause library, automatically built from users’ previously drafted clauses for easy reuse.
Quality assurance is embedded throughout the platform. Intelligent clause compatibility checking actively prevents the selection of incompatible clauses during drafting, significantly reducing errors and the potential for disputes while enhancing overall contract quality. At every stage of the drafting process, contextual guidance is available, with links to comprehensive learning resources when deeper insight is required. A guided digital data sheet further simplifies contract data management, enhancing accuracy and accessibility while reducing the risk of manual input errors.
Real-time collaboration across organisations
NEC Digital unites all stakeholders on a single platform, enabling genuine collaboration across organisational boundaries. The platform provides multi-access points for different team members, suppliers and contractors, with robust permission controls ensuring that only authorised personnel can view and edit documents at appropriate stages.
These security features maintain complete document integrity throughout the project lifecycle. Enhanced teamwork is facilitated through clear edit and review options, offering specific action points for decision-makers – particularly valuable for procurement teams, commercial managers, consultants and quantity surveyors.
Securing the tender process
NEC Digital delivers significant advantages during tender management. When Contract Data 1 is generated, bidders can access a secure environment through a simple link. The platform provides interactive contextual guidance to ensure high-quality submissions, while the clause navigator and Contract Data 2 bid flow offer complete visibility of all contractor-selected clauses and their exact parameters.
Accessible at any digital maturity level
As a fully online platform, NEC Digital can be accessed by businesses at any stage of their digitalisation journey, with no need for specific digital infrastructure. This accessibility helps ensure that supply chain partners at different levels of digitalisation can collaborate on equal terms.
The industry’s appetite for collaboration
The launch of NEC Digital comes at a time when the industry has demonstrated a clear appetite for collaborative contracting approaches. NEC’s recent industry report, Smarter, Greener, Together: The Factors Driving Change in Our Industry, examined attitudes and current practices around collaboration, revealing overwhelming support for these methods.
The research found that 82% of industry professionals feel positive about more widespread adoption of collaborative contracts, with 45% agreeing it would significantly improve the industry. This enthusiasm is driven by tangible benefits: 78% of respondents reported improved costs when using collaborative contracts, while 80% experienced better environmental outcomes; 81% achieved higher efficiency and 82% saw greater innovation.
Bridging the adoption gap
Despite this strong support, a significant gap remains between aspiration and practice. While 59% of professionals have used collaborative contracts, only 8% deploy them on all projects. NEC Digital has been designed specifically to bridge this gap.
One of the biggest barriers identified in the research was the need for training, cited by 43% of respondents as a key obstacle to wider adoption. The contextual guidance embedded within NEC Digital addresses this challenge directly, providing support and education at the point of need rather than requiring separate training programmes.
Ready for the future
Digital transformation and enhanced collaboration are essential factors in helping the industry meet the challenges it faces. From attracting new talent to delivering complex projects efficiently, the sector needs tools that match contemporary expectations.
NEC Digital equips organisations with state-of-the-art contract drafting and management capabilities. By combining NEC’s proven contract framework with cutting-edge digital tools, the platform delivers a genuinely transformative approach to collaborative contracting.
As governments and industry bodies worldwide push for greater digitalisation and more collaborative approaches, NEC Digital positions organisations at the forefront of this change. It represents the future of collaborative contracting: a platform designed by contract experts for contract professionals, offering the power of NEC contracts enhanced by digital innovation.
To find out more about NEC Digital and arrange a demonstration of how it can enhance your next project, visit www.neccontract.com/digital.
