Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Partnering definition

What does Partnering mean? Partnering describes a collaborative approach to construction procurement and project delivery in which the client, contractor and key supply chain members agree to pursue shared objectives, resolve problems proactively and manage risk collectively. It commonly features open-book cost transparency, joint performance targets and incentives such as pain/gain share. In legal practice, partnering is a descriptive concept rather than a status defined in legislation or case law. It does not, of itself, create a partnership at law or fiduciary duties. The approach is implemented through contract terms (for example, duties to act in mutual trust and co-operation), framework or multi-party agreements, partnering...

Partnering in UK Construction: Legal Framework, Key Features, Standard Forms (PPC2000, NEC Option X12, JCT Constructing Excellence), KPIs, Pain/Gain Sharing, and Public Procurement Issues

Published by a LexisNexis Construction expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note sets out what partnering means, its core characteristics and why this route can benefit a construction scheme. It further reviews the principal standard partnering contracts and the matters parties should weigh when deciding whether to choose this route.

What is partnering?

In the 1990s, the Latham and Egan reports exposed the inefficiencies arising from adversarial relationships in the UK construction sector and promoted longer-term alliances to lift performance and cut costs. Consequently, partnering evolved. Partnering is not a procurement method in its own right. Rather, it frames behaviour and processes around procurement and delivery. The expression describes the stance the parties adopt towards procurement and the way they collaborate to deliver and complete projects. In essence, it concerns how parties organise procurement and jointly steer projects to completion. It places strong emphasis on structured collaboration and on driving continuous improvement in project outcomes. Partnering relationships rest on the fundamentals of trust, transparency and co-operation, seeking to dispel the entrenched confrontational culture. It is now a settled feature of public sector programmes, yet remains less prevalent in private sector work, where more traditional positions often still dominate...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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