Our Client says that if we speed up on the critical path and pull the Planned Completion Date in by say 1-week then we should add this time as Terminal Float at the end of the programme.
I thought if this happened all we created was Total Float which could be used by both, whoever gets there first.
I know that if I had TRA on the critical path activity and did not use it I could add this as Terminal Float at the end, but not if I did not have any TRA on the activity.
I would like to increase my Terminal Float but don’t think the contract allows this. What is the right way to do this.
Your client is correct.
The time between Planned Completion and the Completion Date is Terminal Float (though the NEC doesn’t use the term Terminal Float and doesn’t define Planned Completion) and this ‘belongs’ to the Contractor.
If you advance Planned Completion for any reason - whether that is not needing TRA, bringing in additional resource and completing work earlier, or re-scheduling and completing activities earlier - you increase Terminal Float.
if your are able to advance planned Completion through better performance reprogramming etc then the gap produced between this earlier date and the Completion Date is “terminal float” and belongs to the Contractor (presuming that planned completion is earlier then the Completion Date).