Contract mapping is a process. Its consequence is a complete, clause-level compliance framework — binding on both parties, owned by named individuals, and governed by formal sign-off at every stage.
Contract mapping is the systematic translation of the Employer's Requirements into a structured compliance framework. Every clause is read, analysed, and broken down into a specific action — one for the Contractor, one for the Employer — with a named responsible party and a formal sign-off requirement.
This is not a summary exercise. Each clause is interrogated for its precise obligation: what must be submitted, what must be inspected, what must be approved, and in what sequence. The output is a live management tool — not a passive reference — that governs project execution from commencement through to close-out.
On a major international EPC contract, COMAPS produced 26 Employer's Requirements Compliance Checklists across the full suite of contract volumes. Each checklist was owned by a designated Management Team Lead. Each section required dual-party sign-off before the next phase of works could proceed.
Mapping is not limited to technical volumes. Every management pillar carries contractual obligations — some binding on the Contractor, some on the Employer. The mapping phase identifies and registers those obligations for all twelve pillars, producing a compliance checklist framework that covers the full scope of EPC contract management. PPVC governs the lifecycle of every obligation in every pillar: Plan it, Perform it, Validate it, Complete it.
Each pillar's compliance checklist is produced during the Engineering and Procurement phases and is active from Commencement Date. Every obligation in every cell is governed by PPVC — Plan · Perform · Validate · Complete.
The Employer's Requirements Compliance Checklist suite is the primary deliverable of the COMAPS mapping phase. One checklist is produced per ER volume. Each checklist breaks every clause into a bilateral action table — identifying what the Contractor must do and what the Employer must verify, inspect, or approve. A named Management Team Lead takes ownership of each volume and is accountable for its completion.
The checklist is explicitly described as an active management tool, not a passive reference. Every section concludes with a formal dual-party sign-off. Works do not proceed to the next phase until both parties have signed. This is the mechanism by which contractual Hold Points are enforced at the clause level.
| # | Clause | Action Summary | Contractor Action | Employer Action | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.2(1) | Responsible Party: Contractor — Submit Project Execution Plan within 28 days of Commencement Date | Prepare and submit PEP covering all management, quality, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning activities. Reference all ER sub-sections. | Review PEP for completeness and compliance. Issue Category A/B/C response within the agreed review period. PEP approval is a Hold Point. | Date / Doc Ref / Status |
| 2 | 6.3.3(1) | Responsible Party: Contractor — Submit Level 3 Baseline Programme in Primavera P6 within 28 days of Commencement Date | Develop programme to WBS Level 3 minimum, with full logic ties, resource loading, and critical path identified. Submit in P6 native format. | Review programme for WBS alignment, realistic durations, and resource adequacy. Baseline Schedule approval is a mandatory Hold Point before construction commences. | Date / Doc Ref / Status |
| 3 | 6.4.5(1) | Responsible Party: Contractor — Submit Inspection and Test Plans for all construction activities prior to commencement of each work package | Prepare ITPs identifying all Hold Points (H), Witness Points (W), and Review Points (R) for each discipline. Reference the applicable ER clause in each ITP entry. | Review and approve each ITP before the related works commence. ITP approval is a Hold Point. CMT maintains the master ITP register across all disciplines. | Date / Doc Ref / Status |
Illustrative extract — checklist format applied across all 26 ER volumes. Each section concludes with a formal dual-party sign-off block before the next phase proceeds.
On a major EPC contract, the Employer's Requirements comprised 26 volumes. COMAPS produced a compliance checklist for each. The volumes span the complete scope of the project — from overarching scope and design obligations through to discipline-specific technical specifications, testing and commissioning, and management requirements covering HSE, environmental and social obligations, site security, and local employment.
Illustrative example — major international infrastructure EPC contract. The COMAPS methodology applies identically across infrastructure, energy, and civil EPC contracts of equivalent complexity. Volume structure, checklist format, and PPVC governance scale to any contract suite, regardless of sector or jurisdiction.
Defines the complete physical and functional scope. Covers PEP, project administration, programming, WBS, document management, quality management, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, warranties, and close-out obligations.
Three design stages — Basic, Detailed, Construction. Design life 100 years (permanent structures) / 50 years (equipment). Covers design criteria memorandum, codes and standards, site conditions, submittals, and review process.
Complete testing and commissioning framework. Commissioning Procedure required 180 days prior to commencement. ITP-based test list. Acceptance tests, performance guarantees, and Taking-Over Certificate conditions.
H&S Management Plan (Hold Point before mobilisation). Risk assessment, HSSE coordination, inspections and audits, incident management, emergency preparedness, and training obligations.
CESMP compliance. IFC Performance Standards. Applicable national and international legislation. Management systems, sub-contractor oversight, data management, and non-conformity procedures.
Security risk assessment, perimeter fencing and infrastructure, access control procedures, personnel vetting, and escalation protocols. Coordination with national and local security authorities.
Local hiring targets, women's employment obligations, Recruitment and HR Development Plan within 30 days of Commencement. Skills development and training reporting obligations throughout construction.
Each of the 26 volumes is assigned to a designated Management Team Lead within the COMAPS structure. That individual is personally accountable for tracking contractor submittals, verifying field compliance, and obtaining sign-off at the conclusion of each section. The ownership model ensures that every compliance obligation has a single point of accountability — not a department or a team, but a named individual.
As part of the mapping process, every clause in the compliance checklist is assigned one of four classifications. This determines the level of CMT oversight, the evidence required, and whether works can proceed without formal CMT sign-off. No clause is left unclassified.
A direct delivery obligation. Assigned to a named focal point with a defined completion date. Tracked to formal sign-off. Works are not accepted until evidence is provided and reviewed by the CMT.
An awareness obligation. The responsible party must acknowledge the requirement. No direct deliverable, but acknowledgement is recorded in the obligation register and confirmed in writing.
A mandatory gate. Works cannot proceed without formal written CMT acceptance. The CMT must attend, witness, inspect, and issue written sign-off. No exceptions — not for programme pressure, not for convenience.
CMT has the right to attend and witness. Works may proceed only if the CMT has been notified and issues a written waiver of attendance. Evidence is filed regardless of attendance.
In parallel with the compliance checklist framework, COMAPS establishes a Work Breakdown Structure that provides the hierarchical scaffolding for all scheduling, cost control, and progress reporting. Every obligation identified in the mapping phase is linked to a WBS element. The WBS is approved by the CMT as a Hold Point before any scheduling or cost reporting activities commence.
| Level | Description | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | Project | The project as a whole — the single root node to which all costs, obligations, and schedule activities are ultimately attributed. |
| L2 | Major Works Areas | Civil Works, Electromechanical Works, Transmission Infrastructure, Employer Facilities, Temporary Works, Management & Compliance. |
| L3 | Systems & Components | Major Civil Structures, Process Conveyance Systems, Rotating Plant Areas, Electrical Infrastructure, Control Facilities, Transmission Works, Employer Facilities. |
| L4 | Work Packages | Ground Treatment, Concrete Works, Earthworks & Fill, Rotating Plant Installation, Generator Systems, HV Switchgear, Control & SCADA. |
| L5 | Activities | Individual field activities — pour concrete Section 4A, place & compact earthworks Zone 3, install plant unit 1, complete FAT Witness Point, sign off ITP section. |
Any schedule or cost report not aligned with the approved WBS is rejected by the CMT. Changes to the WBS require formal CMT approval through the change management process.
The mapping phase identifies every activity requiring a Risk Assessment and Method Statement and every inspection stage requiring an Inspection and Test Plan. These are not produced reactively as work begins — they are anticipated, registered, and scheduled during the mapping phase. The Baseline Schedule itself is treated as a Hold Point and cannot be used for progress reporting until formally approved by the CMT.