NEC PANEL

Terms of Reference
14 October 2009

Purpose
The NEC panel exists to undertake the responsibility for the professional integrity of the NEC3 family of contracts and associated materials.

Function
 To address NEC related issues at the direction of the NCB

To evaluate the impact of new legislation or regulations and make recommendations to the NCB
To be responsible for the preparation and approval of the specifications for drafting work required to prepare amendments, extensions or new forms approved by the NCB
To review and recommend to the NCB final drafting for publication.
Review requests for endorsement of NEC related documents
Prepare responses to press articles, government reports and policy papers as needed

Method of working
There should be not less than two or more than four meetings of the Panel in any calendar year
Special meetings, including Working Group project meetings, may be convened by the Chairman for particular purposes, provided that the additional cost is within the authorised budget.
Administrative support for the Panel will be provided by NEC staff

Governance
The panel is accountable to the New Contracts Board (NCB).
The Chairman of the Panel will be appointed by the New Contracts Board.
The budget of the Panel will be prepared and administered by NEC staff and approved by the NCB

Membership
There are up to ten members of the Panel.
The members of the panel will be invited to join by the Chairman of the Panel for a term of three years.
Appointments to the Panel, are made with the objective of there being a balance of representation from industry and professional sectors, for example employers, consultants, contractors, lawyers, surveyors, engineers and architects.
Members of the Panel act in an individual capacity and not as the representative of any organisation.
Representatives of organisations may be invited to attend Panel meetings from time to time.
At least two members of the Panel are members of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
The NEC Director may at his/her discretion attend meetings of the Panel as an advisor.

Co-option
The Panel has the power:-
To co-opt additional members for specific purposes and for specific periods.  Not more than two co-options are in force at any time.
To set up working groups for specific periods and/or purposes, to be disbanded when the task has been achieved or the period has expired.  Working Groups always include at least one Panel member but can include non-members.

Contact with other bodies
The Panel may make direct contact with other committees or groups (whether within the Institution of Civil Engineers or not) in the course of its work, but does not commit the Institution of Civil Engineers to expenditure beyond the authorised budget unless specific authority has first been obtained from the NEC Director.