The scope of a project is the definition of the work to be carried out, setting out what is included and, by implication, what is not.
Scope is defined through the contract documents, such as the drawings, specification, employer’s requirements and pricing documents. Under NEC4, “Scope” is a defined term for the information that specifies and describes the works and states any constraints on how the Contractor provides them; in NEC3 the equivalent was the Works Information. A clear scope is essential for accurate pricing, because anything outside it is likely to be a change that the client pays for. Common scope issues include:
- scope gaps, where work falls between packages and nobody has priced it
- scope creep, where requirements grow gradually without formal change control
- ambiguity or conflict between the drawings and the specification
Related terms: specification, employer’s requirements, variation, compensation event.
