Introduction
An Extension of Time (EOT) claim is fundamentally a time-entitlement assessment. A persuasive submission should connect the contractual entitlement, the delaying event, contemporaneous records, programme logic and the resulting effect on the contractual completion date.
1. Start with the contractual entitlement
Identify the relevant contract provisions, notice requirements, time bars, qualifying events and obligations to mitigate or update the programme. For FIDIC-based projects, the particular Sub-Clause wording and Contract Data should be reviewed rather than relying on a generic EOT template.
2. Build the delay-event chronology
Prepare a contemporaneous chronology covering instructions, drawings, RFIs, approvals, access constraints, variations, changes, late information, procurement events and relevant correspondence. Each event should be traceable to a document and a date.
3. Establish the programme evidence
Use the approved baseline and the relevant updates, together with calendars, logic, constraints and progress status. The analysis should identify the activities affected by the event and test whether those activities were critical or whether available float absorbed the impact.
4. Demonstrate causation and critical-path impact
The key question is not simply whether an event occurred, but whether it delayed completion. A robust analysis explains the cause-and-effect chain from the employer-risk or other qualifying event through the affected activities to the project completion milestone.
5. Choose an appropriate delay-analysis methodology
Depending on the available records, programme quality and circumstances, methodologies may include Time Impact Analysis, Windows Analysis, As-Planned vs As-Built and other recognized approaches. The chosen method should be transparent and consistent with the project evidence.
6. Quantify and substantiate the claim
The time claim should be supported by a clear event schedule, impacted activities, programme extracts, contemporaneous records and a concise narrative. Where prolongation costs or other heads of claim are pursued, they should be separately substantiated and causally linked to the compensable delay.
Conclusion
A defensible EOT claim is an evidence-led demonstration of entitlement, causation and time impact. Contractors can improve the quality of their submissions by maintaining disciplined notices, records and programme updates throughout the project rather than reconstructing the claim at the end.