What is the The Infrastructure Conditions of Contract (ICC)
Published: April 05, 2026
Last updated:
2026-04-05T18:24:27Z
Defintion
Designed specifically for civil engineering and infrastructure projects, these
contracts are based on the earlier ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers)
conditions . They provide a clear, standardized contractual framework drafted
jointly by employers, consultants, and contractors.
- Measurement Version
-
This is one of the standard contracts used for UK civil engineering
and infrastructure work. The ACE state that the contract has been
drafted by employers, consultants and contractors to provide a clear
and standardised contract specifically tailored for civil
engineering and infrastructure projects.
-
The Measurement Version is for use on a traditionally procured
project where the contractor carries out the construction of the
works in accordance with a design provided by or on behalf of the
employer. Valuation of the contractor’s works is by measurement.
This form of contract is intended to provide a comprehensive and
clear set of conditions, with a fair balance of risks between
employer and contractor and with administration by an independent
engineer.
- Design and Construct Version
-
This contract is for use where the design and build procurement
route has been chosen. Therefore, the contractor is responsible for
all aspects of design and construction, including any design
originally provided by or on behalf of the employer unless otherwise
stated.
-
Payment to the contractor is on a lump sum basis but other forms of
payment may be used.
-
The contract encourages the benefits of team working and current
procurement initiatives.
-
If the procedures are followed, the parties to the contract will be
provided with an ‘early warning’ of circumstances that may give rise
to additional costs or delay in completion of the contract in order
to assist in the mitigation or prevention of such events.
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The ACE state that the contract is based on the Design and Construct
Version of the ICE Conditions of Contract and will be familiar to
those who know that contract.
- Term Version
-
Under this contract, a contractor is appointed to carry out such
work for an agreed period of time (the term), carrying out such
packages of work as may be required by the employer under conditions
set out in the contract. The Term Version uses call-off orders
(known as Works Orders) to accommodate rolling renewal or
replacement requirements (based on re-measurement or a lump-sum
quotation for a particular operation). The engineer also maintains
its traditional role of advising the employer, designing and
supervising the works
- and certifying payment.
-
The ACE envisages the Term Version to be suitable for planned
maintenance or refurbishment work, as well as for emergency works
where a contractor may be on call.
-
The contract is based on the Term Version of the ICE Conditions of
Contract and will be familiar to those who know that contract.
- Minor Works Version
-
This is a traditional procurement contract (i.e. employer designed)
for minor civil engineering works.
-
The Minor Works Version is based on the former ICE Conditions and
includes amendments resulting from experience in use, including a
responsibility on the employer to provide the contractor with all
relevant information to the works and a right for the engineer to
have access to work in hand whether on or off site. In view of the
short duration of these contracts, retention provisions have been
removed.
- Target Cost Version
-
This contract is the newest member of the Infrastructure Conditions
of Contract family and
- has been produced due to industry demand.
-
This contract allows the employer, usually with the assistance of
the contractor, to set a clear target for the cost of the civil
engineering works to be carried out, in order to avoid projects
overrunning on cost and deadline. The contract also includes a
painshare/gainshare mechanism so that the employer and contractor
can share any cost savings or overspend.
-
The ACE also states that to utilise the Target Cost Version
effectively, a more open style of control and management is required
which will permit an early and joint approach to the identification
and management of risks. This is intended to lead to better channels
of communication between employer and contractor, at every project
stage.
- Ground Investigation Version
-
The Ground Investigation Version is based on the traditional pattern
of an investigation
-
designed by an engineer and carried out by a specialist contractor.
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The ACE states that this contract is intended for the situation
where the employer wishes to develop a site and has geotechnical
specialists who will carry out any initial desk study, identify the
geotechnical requirements of the project and design a ground
investigation to suit those requirements.
- Archaeological Investigation Version
-
This is a specialist contract relating to archaeological
investigations. It can be used whenever there is a need to procure
an archaeological investigation, e.g. as part of the planning
process or as part of an environmental impact assessment.
- Partnering Addendum
-
This is a partnering agreement, where parties to a contract work
together and collaborate to
- deliver a project.
-
The ACE states that the Partnering Addendum ‘aims to deliver an
effective and flexible mechanism for multi-party partnering using
Infrastructure Conditions of Contract, ACE Agreements 2009 and CECA
Forms of Subcontract’. The document governs the implementation of
the partnering arrangement and the relationship between the
partners.
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The ACE and CECA have subsequently revised and published the
ICC suite of contracts.
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Details of these new forms will be set out in the next revision of
this practice information