FIS is continually reviewing its service offering and has recently updated its Contract Review Service to better meet the needs of members.
We know that too often contractors are faced with heavily-amended contracts with significant risk transfer. This service offers members a subsidised expert review of contracts, schedules of amendments, collateral warranties and bonds to ensure they are aware of what they are signing up to.
Key features of the service include:
- The option of a QS-led or Lawyer-led review service
- A subsidised fee structure to make the service more accessible for specialist contractors. Prices start from £300 for quantity-surveyor-led reviews, and from £450 for lawyer-led reviews (with fees tiered by contract size).
- Early-stage contract review: designed to be used before work commences, to identify problematic clauses in advance rather than reactively
- Additional support options including virtual meetings and bid-stage review where appropriate.
Our research with Reading University identified that specialist contractors often find themselves under significant pressure to sign amended forms of contracts. The aim of the Contract Review Service is to help specialist contractors and their supply-chains identify onerous contract conditions before work commences and support fairer risk allocation.
Commenting on the service, FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee said:
“The Contract Review Service has been an unmitigated success with feedback from members who have used it encouraging. We appreciate how hard a Responsible No can be, but when it is backed by expert advice, negotiation is possible.
“As well as supporting individual members directly, the service has also been instrumental in helping FIS to support our ongoing representation work, exposing and challenging the worst of behaviours and in developing resources for our Contractual and Legal Toolkit. Further e-learning is planned for 2026 to help all members to benefit from the lessons learned.
“With two years of reviews under our belt it felt appropriate to revisit how we deliver the service and under this umbrella to extend the range of services available to members through the amazing panel of expert advisors. The service now covers tender support, direct negotiation and bid support and unlike most things, the basic subsidised rate has reduced further to ensure that it is as accessible as possible to our members!”
You can find out more about the Contract Review Service here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate in contacting the FIS team on 0121 707 0077.