When a milestone slips, establish the facts before promising a recovery date. Compare the baseline schedule with actual progress. Identify incomplete tasks, remaining review, dependencies, and the current critical path. Separate causes within the firm’s control from external inputs such as client decisions, site access, utility information, permit review, or another consultant’s work. Record dates and communications while details are fresh.
Review the agreement for notice, schedule update, extension, and change provisions. If notice is required, follow the stated process and timing. Tell the client promptly what changed, what work or decision is affected, and what information or action the firm needs. Avoid assigning blame before the record is clear. A factual update gives the client a chance to respond and helps the team plan around real constraints.
Develop feasible recovery options with the project leads. These might include resequencing independent tasks, adding qualified staff, splitting a submission, or agreeing on a revised milestone. For each option, explain the effect on fee, schedule, coordination, and review. For example, parallel drafting may save time if inputs are stable, but could create rework if the design basis is still changing. The owner should not promise acceleration until the technical leads confirm that the work can be reviewed properly.
Document the client’s decisions and the agreed plan. Update the schedule, task owners, and forecast, then check progress at a cadence suited to the recovery effort. Ask the project manager which task controls the next date, what could slip again, and what escalation is needed. Maintain factual internal records that match the project communications.
Do not compress quality review, field processes, or professional checks in a way that compromises obligations. If the delay may create a claim or dispute, involve qualified counsel and the insurer as appropriate.
When a milestone is at risk, have the project manager tell the client promptly, explain the cause, and give a realistic revised date with the decisions or information needed to meet it. Internally, identify the critical tasks, assign owners, and check whether other projects will be affected by shifting staff. For example, if survey information is late, state what work can continue and when the schedule must be reset. Record the agreed plan in writing and raise fee or scope impacts separately from the schedule update.
Contract terms, licensed PE judgment, and local codes govern.
