L4M3 Commercial Contracting Question and Answers

- The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is a treaty of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that entered into force in January 1995 as a result of the Uruguay Round negotiations. The treaty was created to extend the multilateral trading system to service sector, in the same way the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) provides such a system for merchandise trade.

- CISG is the Vienna Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. This is a voluntary treaty under United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL). The purpose of the Vienna Convention is to set out a framework for international transactions based on a uniform approach. It establishes substantive rules that regulate the duties and obligations of both parties, including the delivery of goods, contract formation, and remedies for breach of contract.

- The Incoterms or International Commercial Terms are a series of pre-defined commercial terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) relating to international commercial law. They are widely used in international commercial transactions or procurement processes and their use is encouraged by trade councils, courts and international lawyers. A series of three-letter trade terms related to common contractual sales practices, the Incoterms rules are intended primarily to clearly communicate the tasks, costs, and risks associated with the global or international transportation and delivery of goods. Incoterms inform sales contracts defining respective obligations, costs, and risks involved in the delivery of goods from the seller to thebuyer, but they do not themselves conclude a contract, determine the price payable, currency or credit terms, govern contract law or define where title to goods transfers.

- ADA is Anti-Dumping Agreement (Implementation of Article VI of the GATT).

LO 1, AC 1.3

Consideration is one thing given in exchange for another.

In this case, considerations of customers are three wrappers and 1s6d. Consideration of Nestle is Rockin' Shoes record or a voucher.

There are number of reasons why the purchaser will want to control the supplier's subcontracting:

- Supply chain transparency: Normally the purchaser has invested a lot of effort into selecting the right contractor. However, the main contractor's selection of subcontractor might not be in such careful manner, which may result in poor performance. Purchaser must know who subcontractors are. Controlling the subcontracting process can help the purchaser control the outcome.

- Contract terms: the purchaser's requirements must be reflected in the subcontracts. The subcontracting clauses may require the main contractor to do this.

- Liability: the main contractor may subcontract the whole or a part of its liabilities. Subcontracting clause may bind the contractor to be liable with the work, it cannot just blame the subcontractor for any faults.

One-off purchases are ideal for unique, non-recurring needs such as equipment for a special project. These purchases are typically not repeated, do not require long-term supplier relationships, and are handled separately from strategic or ongoing procurement activities.

Effective KPIs should be measurable, relevant, and tied to performance. "Complaints resolved within two days" and "Delivery of goods on time and in full" are standard KPIs as they reflect quality and timeliness of service—both key to contract success. The "total number of services" and general reductions do not directly reflect performance outcomes.

Hire purchase is an arrangement for buying expensive consumer goods, where the buyer makes an initial down payment and pays the balance plus interest in installments. Ownership is not transferred until the end of the agreement, hire purchase plans offer more protection to the vendor than other sales or leasing methods for unsecured items. That's because the items can be repossessed more easily should the buyer be unable to keep up with the repayments.

The answer is 'When the final instalment is paid'.

Referencing recognised international standards like ISO 27001 in specifications ensures that all potential suppliers understand and meet a uniform set of expectations regarding data security. This not only promotes consistency but also reduces the burden on the buyer to evaluate varied, incompatible approaches.

Direct call off is the act of placing an order under a framework agreement without having further competition.

Standing offer is an available offer.

Blanket order is another name of framework agreement

Closed system is a requirement of framework agreement. It is a system or process that, once started, does not allow new entrants.

This scenario is in fact based on a famous case law: Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Company v New Garage & Motor co [1915] AC 79. In this case law, the House of Lords identified the clause as liquidated damages, and therefore enforceable.

However, if this case had happened in 2015 or afterwards, there would be some legal issues:

- The price agreement is prohibited by Competition Act 1998

- If the agreement is allowed by Competition Act, as in the case Cavendish Square Holding BV (Appellant) v Talal El Makdessi (Respondent), the clause can also be identified as a penalty and it is still enforceable.

The best way to manage conflicts of interest is through transparency and fairness. Including multiple suppliers in the market engagement process ensures no single supplier, including the one with a perceived connection, gains an advantage. This protects the integrity of the procurement process.

The key substantive elements to be included in a specification are:

- Characteristics of the product or service

- Time scale for delivery

- Response times for defects

- KPIs relating to performance and reliability

- Lifespan and durability expectations

- Documentary requirement for training/user manual and/or management information

- Any specific requirements regarding implementation

Request for quotation has valuable function when its use is properly controlled. It works the best under framework agreements where the contract terms are already fixed.

An implied term is a term which the courts imply into a contract because it has not been expressly included by the parties. This may be because the parties did not consider it, did not think that any problem would arise in relation to it or simply omitted to include it.

The courts are very reluctant to imply terms into contracts and will only do so in the following circumstances:

- terms implied under statute

- terms implied under common law

- terms implied because of custom or usage

- terms implied due to previous dealings

- terms implied ‘in fact’ or to reflect the parties’ intentions

An incentive contract is a sub-segment of a fixed-price or cost-reimbursement contract when there are specific cost or time commitments that are desired for a project. The standard incentive contract will allow for a fixed price to be paid for work to be completed by a specific deadline and at a specific cost.

There are two major types of incentive contracts: Cost-plus-incentive fee and Fixed-price incentive (firm target) contracts. Both types have the same formula for calculating final fee and final price.

The target fee is the amount that will be paid if the actual costs (which can be proven) match thetarget costs

The actual fee will be adjusted in proportion to the difference between the target cost and the actual cost. The usual calculation is:

Target fee + ((target cost - actual cost) x Supplier share) = final fee

The final price then becomes:

Actual cost + final fee = final price

Creating a detailed specification and publicly advertising the requirement are key preparatory steps in issuing an ITT (Invitation to Tender). These ensure that suppliers understand the requirement and have the opportunity to respond, promoting transparency and competition.

The complexity of the contract will reflect the complexity of the purchase. For simple, low-value purchases, standard terms and conditions may be all that is required, but do not assume that just because the purchase is one-off, the contract will be simple. It may still need to cover the following areas:

- Warranties and guarantees if the one-off purchase has a considerable life-span and is business-critical (e.g., a back-up generator for the office which houses the national computer servers).

- Insurance requirements: including professional indemnity, public/products liability, employer's liability, and cover for any specific risks such as pollution or working at height.

- Specification requirements on quality, timing and delivery

- Minimum quality standards on the business operation (e.g., a catering provider might only be providing sandwiches for a team meeting lunch, but you still need to know its hygiene practices).

- Built-in change process for any goods or services that are beyond very simple (e.g., works contracts always have variations procedures because of the unpredictable nature of such projects).

- Ability to extend the scope of the contract should be minimal or none, and restrained to the single requirement.

- Ability to extend the duration of the contract should be limited to the ability to accommodate unexpected time overruns (which itself should be subject to a damages/penalty provision where they are attributable to the supplier, and an extension to overheads costs where they are attributable to the purchaser).

- Data security protocols need to be considered if personal data is being shared.

In the absence of a clearly defined delivery date, contract law defaults to performance within a “reasonable time.” Given that no firm delivery date was agreed upon and the goods were delivered in a timeframe consistent with known production and delivery times, the supplier is not in breach.

Price escalation clauses allow suppliers to raise prices during the contract term, potentially undermining budget control. Exclusion clauses limit or remove the supplier's liability, which could leave the buyer unprotected in case of breach or defects. These clauses present clear risks and require careful review or negotiation.

In the early stages of procurement planning, informal methods like networking at trade events are effective for gaining insights without disclosing sensitive procurement intentions. It allows the buyer to explore the market, understand new technologies or suppliers, and develop informed specifications while preserving confidentiality.

Ultra vires is a Latin phrase, meaning "beyond the powers." Describes actions taken by government bodies or corporations that exceed the scope of power given to them by laws or corporate charters. When referring to the acts of government bodies (e.g., legislatures), a constitution is most often the measuring stick of the proper scope of power.

Contracting on the supplier’s terms can pose risks for the buyer. Common disadvantages include retention of title clauses (C), where the supplier retains ownership of goods until full payment is made. Also, suppliers may include clauses allowing them to raise prices without notification (E). These terms shift risk to the buyer and reduce predictability and control.

Audit trail is a chronological record the sequence of events connected to a given transaction, such as a purchase of raw materials, payroll disbursements, or a detailed financial statement. The record includes all the source documents connected to the transaction, providing context and clarity in the event a review is required. The more comprehensive the documentation, the more effective the audit trail is when used to create financial reports, verify information, and ensure compliance while eliminating fraud.

In the scenario, the procurement team gets the quotation from phone calls and emails which have weak audit trails and lack of transparency. One solution may be increasing the use of e-procurement system.

There are a number of shortcuts that can be taken when drafting the specification. These include the following:

- The use of brand names

- The use of recognised standards

- The use of samples

- Information and knowledge from users/other buyers: Drafting a specification should naturally include those already used within the organisation itself, but also variants used by other companies in the same sector and other companies in different sectors

- Information from suppliers: suppliers will always be willing to assist in specification development, as this this one way in which they can seek to influence the design to favour their own products.

KPIs that involve actual counts or quantifiable incidents are considered quantitative and use numerical data. "Late deliveries" and "accidents or near misses" are measured in numbers, making them suitable for numerical performance tracking. The other options relate more to qualitative analysis or subjective feedback.

An untrue statement of fact or law made by Party A (or its agent) to Party B, which induces Party B to enter a contract with Party A thereby causing Party B loss. An action for misrepresentation can be brought in respect of a misrepresentation of fact or law.

There are three types of misrepresentation:

- Fraudulent misrepresentation: where a false representation has been made knowingly, or without belief in its truth, or recklessly as to its truth.

- Negligent misrepresentation: a representation made carelessly and in breach of duty owed by Party A to Party B to take reasonable care that the representation is accurate. If no "special relationship" exists, there may be a misrepresentation under section 2(1) of the Misrepresentation Act 1967 where a statement is made carelessly or without reasonable grounds for believing its truth.

- Innocent misrepresentation: a representation that is neither fraudulent nor negligent.

The remedies for misrepresentation are rescission and/or damages. For fraudulent and negligent misrepresentation, the claimant may claim rescission and damages. For innocent misrepresentation, the court has a discretion to award damages in lieu of rescission; the courtcannot award both (see section 2(2) of the Misrepresentation Act 1967). For more information, see Practice note, Misrepresentation.

Service level agreement often sets out the minimum quality standards of the services provided, remedies if that standards are not met, consequences if the targets are exceeded. Penalty clauses and service credits are remedies that are often used in conjunction with service level agreement to ensure the performance and to compensate the purchaser if targets are not met.

Model form contracts streamline procurement processes by providing pre-agreed and widely understood terms, which reduce the time and legal costs of contract drafting. These are especially useful in complex industries and promote consistency and fairness.

Qualitative KPIs are based on pure opinions about how well or otherwise the goods are performingor the service is being delivered. Most often, these will be linked to, or convertedinto, a numerical measure. However, such satisfaction surveys often also include free fields for respondents to explain why they feel the way they do, and what they might have liked to have been different.

On the other hand, quantitative KPIs are based on numerical measure with either definite number (e.g., actual number of orders incomplete or otherwise inaccurate during the time period) or as a percentage (e.g. number of inaccurate orders as a percentage of the total number of orders).

Openness and co-operation means that supplier is open and co-operative in its relationship with purchaser, e.g., in terms of joint problem solving. This KPI is qualitative since it is measured by individual judgement.

Responsiveness of supplier means the supplier responds rapidly to requests for information and support without having to be chased. It is measured by the number of times requests chased as a percentage of number of requests. It is a quantitative KPI.

Customer satisfactory ratings means the level of customer's satisfaction. This KPI is measured by periodic survey and it is a qualitative KPI.

Cost management is another quantitative KPI. It can be measured by comparing between the actual costs and the contractual costs.

OTIF (one-time in-full) deliveries is a quantitative KPI. It can be measured by counting the inaccurate deliveries in the period or inaccurate deliveries as a percentage of total number of deliveries for period.

NEC - New Engineering Contracts is a family of contracts invented by Institute of Civil Engineers. The contracts are suitable for procuring a diverse range of works, services and supply, ranging from major framework projects through to minor works and the purchase of supplies and goods.

FIDIC is a French language acronym for Fédération Internationale Des Ingénieurs-Conseils, which means the international federation of consulting engineers. It was started in 1913 by the trio of France, Belgium and Switzerland. The United Kingdom joined the Federation in 1949. FIDIC is headquartered in Switzerland and now boasts of membership from over 60 different countries. FIDIC published its first contract, titled The Form of contract for works of Civil Engineering construction, in 1957. As the title indicated, this first contract was aimed at the Civil Engineering sector and it soon became known for the colour of its cover, and thus, The Red Book. It has become the tradition that FIDIC contracts are known in popular parlance by the colour of their cover. This first contract by FIDIC was undertaken jointly with the International federation of Building and Public works. FIDIC’s concerted effort at achieving broad consultation and acceptance of its contract forms has seen subsequent editions of its contracts being ratified by the International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors Association, Associated General Contractors of America and the Inter-American Federation of the Construction Industry, Multilateral Development Banks among others. Because of the broad support it enjoys, FIDIC contracts are the foremost contracts in international construction.

The Joint Contracts Tribunal, also known as the JCT, produces standard forms of contract for construction, guidance notes and other standard documentation for use in the construction industry in the United Kingdom. From its establishment in 1931, JCT has expanded the number of contributing organisations.

IMechE/IET: Institution of Mechanical Engineers/Institution of Engineering and Technology - two separate institutes that issue jointly agreed model forms covering the design, supply and installation of electrical, electronic and mechanical plant including special conditions for the ancillary development of software.

Liquidated damages are presented in certain legal contracts as an estimate of otherwise intangible or hard-to-define losses to one of the parties. It is a provision that allows for the payment of a specified sum should one of the parties be in breach of contract.

Understanding Liquidated Damages

Liquidated damages are meant as a fair representation of losses in situations where actual damages are difficult to ascertain. In general, liquidated damages are meant to be fair, rather than punitive.

Liquidated damages may be referred to in a specific contract clause to cover circumstances where a party faces a loss from assets that do not have a direct monetary correlation. For example, if a party in a contract were to leak supply chain pricing information that is vital to a business, this could fall under liquidated damages.

A common example is a design phase for a new product that may involve consultation with outside suppliers and consultants in addition to a company's employees. The underlying plans or designs for a product might not have a set market value. This may be true even if the subsequent product is crucial to the progress and growth of a company. These plans may be deemed to be trade secrets of the business and highly sensitive. If the plans were exposed by a disgruntled employee or supplier, it could greatly hamper the ability to generate revenue from the release of that product. A company would have to make an estimation in advance of what such losses could cost in order to include this in a liquidated damages clause of a contract.

Limitations of Liquidated Damages

It is possible that a liquidated damages clause might not be enforced by the courts. This can occur if the monetary amount of liquidated damages cited in the clause is extraordinarily disproportional to the scope of what was affected by the breached contract.

Such limitations prevent a plaintiff from attempting to claim an unsubstantiated exorbitant amount from a defendant. For instance, a plaintiff might not be able to claim liquidated damages that amount to multiples of its gross revenue if the breach only affected a specific portion of its operations. The concept of liquidated damages is framed around compensation related to some harm and injury to the party rather than a fine imposed on the defendant.

The courts typically require that the parties involved make the most reasonable assessment possible for the liquidated damages clause at the time the contract is signed. This can provide a sense of understanding and reassurance of what is at stake if that aspect of the contract is breached. A liquidated damages clause can also give the parties involved a basis to negotiate from for an out-of-court settlement.

Express terms are the terms of the agreement which are expressly agreed between the parties. Ideally, they will be written down in a contract between the parties but where the contract is agreed verbally, they will be the terms discussed and agreed between the parties.

The types of express terms to be found in a contract are many and varied and will depend on the type of contract. Any term written into the contract is an express term and may refer to price, time scales, warranties and indemnities, limitations on liability, conditions precedent and so on.

Based on two famous precedents, Fisher v. Bell (1961) and Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v. Boots Cash Chemists (1953), the display on shop window is considered as an invitation to treat. The shop owner can change the price when his customer asks to buy.

One of the advantages of using the RFQ method to procure pricing is that the company making the solicitation does not need to prepare any documentation, as requests are sent out privately. With less paperwork to prepare, turnaround times for quotes are reduced. Administration cost is also lower in compare with other procurement method like ITT or RFP. RFQ is usually used in low value purchase, where buyer knows the detailed specification and the price is the only variable that need to consider.

To use RFQ effectively, the buyer should attach the detailed specification and standard terms & conditions. The RFQ should only be sent to verified suppliers.

The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (c 50) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulates contracts by restricting the operation and legality of some contract terms. It extends to nearly all forms of contract and one of its most important functions is limiting the applicability of disclaimers of liability. The terms extend to both actual contract terms and notices that are seen to constitute a contractual obligation.

Under this regulation, if a clause within the standard terms in use is considered as 'unfair', the clause will be ineffective (or the other party will be entitled to avoid the clause). At court, the clause that is deemed to be unfair will undergo a 'reasonableness' test or an 'unfairness' test.

Procurement professionals have a role in challenging specifications. Technical experts can get things wrong and asking naive questions can be useful in bringing these to light. The challenging may include:

- Does the organisation really need these features/functions?

- With this specification, are there many available suppliers in the market?

- How many does the organisation really need?

etc

Variable pricing is suitable to situations when the cost of certain elements of the product fluctuate unpredictably. For road building, asphalt fluctuates regularly. Furthermore, 5 years are long period, then variable pricing is the most appropriate method to achieve value for money and control budget.

A contract for window cleaning during the next three months is a short-term service contract, fixed price is the most suitable method.

A contract for the supply of lubricating oil for immediate delivery is an one-off contract, only fixed price is applicable.

A contract for the supply of 100 printing machines to be delivered next month is also an one-off contract.

Input specifications detail exactly how a supplier must provide the service or make the product. While this ensures compliance, it limits the supplier's ability to innovate or offer alternative, potentially more efficient solutions. Performance specifications, in contrast, focus on outputs and encourage innovation.

A well-drafted service specification includes a clear description of the services to be delivered, fault rectification timelines, and the duration of service. These define scope, performance expectations, and timelines. Evaluation methodology and contract terms are important, but they are part of separate procurement or contractual documentation.

The license can be amended during its lifespan. However, in this case, it already has a clauseallowing for mechanism of variation which sets out who can authorise changes and prohibits any oral variation. Therefore, the agreement between Rock's director and MWB credit controller is not an effective variation to the license.

A fixed pricing arrangement offers the buyer cost certainty by locking in a set price for the duration of the contract, regardless of market volatility. This is crucial in environments requiring tight budget control, such as healthcare procurement. Although suppliers may factor in risk premiums, it is ideal when predictability is the priority.

Exporting enterprises must sometimes incur additional costs as they adapt their production to the changing legal requirements of the recipient country. Such requirements can thus create technical barriers to trade. Discrepancies between product rules adopted by different countries can involve numerous aspects: weight, size, packaging, ingredients, mandatory labeling, shelf-life conditions, testing and certification procedures etc.

One way to overcome these barriers is to adopt international standards. Overseas companies may be more familiar with international standards without looking at specific regulations of importing countries.

Request for quotations is often used when the only variable is price and the purchase value is under a financial threshold. This process is less formal than ITT. RFQ should be used in the following circumstances:

- Low-value, low-risk purchases

- When the specifications are sufficiently defined or the product/service is standardised

- Where the suppliers are pre-qualified

- Where there is a framework agreement which specifies the contract terms and conditions.

- Strict liability, sometimes called absolute liability, is the legal responsibility for damages, or injury, even if the person found strictly liable was not at fault or negligent. Strict liability has been applied to certain activities in tort, such as holding an employer absolutely liable for the torts of her employees, but today it is most commonly associated with defectively manufactured products. In addition, for reasons of public policy, certain activities may be conducted only if the person conducting them is willing to insure others against the harm that results from the risks the activities create.

- Current liabilities are a company's short-term financial obligations that are due within one year or within a normal operating cycle.

- Non-current liabilities, also called long-term liabilities or long-term debts, are long-term financial obligations listed on a company’s balance sheet

- Contingent liability is a potential liability that may occur, depending on the outcome of an uncertain future event.

Qualitative performance measures capture subjective or non-numerical aspects of service, such as customer satisfaction, perceptions, and opinions. These are often gathered through surveys or interviews. While quantitative data is crucial, qualitative insights can reveal hidden issues and improve relationship management.

There are 3 types of KPI measure:

- Binary KPIs

- Quantitative KPIs (or numerical)

- Qualitative KPIs

User satisfaction is subjective, therefore, using qualitative assessment is the best answer.

According to CIPS, there are two main types of specification:

- Conformance specification – is more output driven as it outlines the product details exactly which may include the material, dimensions, tolerances, source, ingredients, packaging, storage of the part or material.

- Performance specification – is more output driven in terms of what the part or material must achieve.

Among the four options, only 2. 'Description of the operating environments' and 3.'Chemical formulae' are possible components of a conformance specification.Brand names can be a part of a performance specification, according to a document published by CIPS and NIGP.

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BS 7373-1:2001 Product specifications. Guide to preparation gives guidance on layout, preparation and management. The subject has been treated in a generic way and guidance can be used in the preparation of all types.

BS 5864:2019 is the standard for installation and maintenance of gas-fired ducted air heaters of rated heat input not exceeding 70 kW net (2nd and 3rd family gases). Specification

BS 5975:2019 is the standard for code of practice for temporary works procedures and the permissible stress design of falsework.

BS EN 60601-1-11:2015 is the standard for medical electrical equipment. General requirements for basic safety and essential performance. Collateral Standard: Requirements for medical electrical equipment and medical electrical systems used in the home healthcare environment.

"Shall" denotes a mandatory requirement in contract language and implies absolute obligation. Unlike "reasonable endeavours" or "best endeavours", which indicate a duty to try, "shall" creates a strict, enforceable duty to perform the task specified.

'Consensus ad idem' is a Latin term meaning “meeting of the minds.” It refers to both parties having the same understanding and intention regarding the contract’s terms. This mutual agreement is essential for forming a valid and enforceable contract.

Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are legally binding documents that protect confidential and proprietary information, including intellectual property, during pre-contractual discussions. NDAs ensure that sensitive data shared during early engagement or tender development is not misused.

A simple definition of consideration is as follows – an exchange between the parties which results in a benefit to one party, and a detriment to the other. The case of Currie v Misa (1874) LR 10 Ex 153 provides an apt description of this:

“A valuable consideration, in the sense of the law, may consist either in some right, interest, profit, or benefit accruing to the one party, or some forbearance, detriment, loss, or responsibility, given, suffered, or undertaken by the other.”

A practical example of this can be found by examining a simple contract. Party A offers £500 to Party B, who in exchange will fit his car with a new engine. Party A receives the benefit of his car being fixed, whilst Party B incurs the detriment of having to take time, effort, and perhaps expenses to fix the car.