The final project brief is the initial project brief updated so that it aligns with the concept design produced at RIBA Stage 2 (Concept Design) and with any briefing decisions made during that stage. The concept design and the final project brief are both information exchanges at the end of RIBA Stage 2.
Once the client signs off the final project brief, it becomes the fixed reference against which later design development is measured. For the QS this matters because a formal cost plan is usually produced at the end of RIBA Stage 2, and its cost targets should reflect the same brief. Any later change to the client’s requirements, such as additional accommodation, a higher specification or a revised sustainability target, should then be treated as a change to the brief and managed through change control, with its cost impact reported to the client.
Related terms: Initial Project Brief, Formal Cost Plan, RIBA Plan of Work, Change Control.
