Key Takeaways from the 9th Annual EPC Contracts and Project Management Summit in Barcelona

The world of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) is rapidly evolving, driven by unprecedented complexity, technological advancements, and new commercial models. This transformation was the central theme of the 9th Annual EPC Contracts and Project Management Summit, held in the vibrant city of Barcelona on November 6th and 7th, 2025.

Attending the summit at the Hotel Novotel Barcelona City offered an invaluable opportunity to connect with senior project leaders, contract managers, and other professionals from some of the industry's most influential companies. The collaborative environment fostered crucial knowledge-sharing on the latest trends and practical solutions for successfully executing major capital projects.

Feature Presentation: Mastering Claims Management in EPC Contracts

My core highlight of the summit was the session on Claims Management, where I had the privilege of presenting "Mastering Claims Management in EPC Contracts: Navigating Claims Complexity, Protecting Your Project, Driving Profitability". Effective claim management is not merely a legal hurdle but a strategic tool for project success and margin protection.

1. Understanding the Claim

The presentation began by defining a Claim. It is a formal demand made by one party (typically the Contractor against the Owner/Employer, or vice-versa) to the other, seeking additional compensation (money) or an Extension of Time (EOT), or both. This demand must be based on specific rights and remedies provided within the signed EPC contract.

2. Driving Profitability and Navigating Complexity

The goal of claims management is to protect the project and ensure Driving Profitability. This is achieved by mastering the complexity inherent in EPC disputes, which often involves meticulous documentation of the event, subsequent costs, and schedule impact. We emphasized the necessity of using formal Notice and a detailed Client Letter as part of the process.

3. Strategic Negotiation for Resolution

The session stressed that the lifecycle of a claim culminates in Strategic Negotiation. We analyzed three key types of behavioral responses encountered during negotiation:

• Cooperative: This ideal approach is characterized by effective communication, a willingness to collaborate, and a problem-solving mindset, focusing on realistic expectations and flexibility.

• Manipulative: This response uses unfair tactics to control the situation, such as emotional pressure, shifting blame, delaying responses, or promising approval only after work is complete.

• Rejective: This is defined by an unwillingness to compromise, a refusal to approve any change or claim, high criticism, and an obstacle-creating, problem-focused approach.

Successfully resolving a claim requires understanding these dynamics to Find Common Ground and achieve an equitable outcome.

Crucial Insights from Other Key Sessions

Beyond claims, the summit agenda tackled the most pressing issues and disruptive forces in the industry, from new technology to risk management.

The AI Revolution in EPC

Multiple sessions focused on the AI revolution in EPC and AI implementation in EPC Projects. The consensus was clear: Artificial Intelligence is poised to redefine project delivery. The benefits discussed include:

• Cost and Schedule Optimization: AI adoption can cut project costs by 15–20% and shorten delivery timelines by 10–25%.

• Enhanced Design and Planning: AI-driven software can analyze historical data to optimize designs, anticipate issues, and even perform automated clash resolution.

• Predictive Management: AI tools are used for predictive analytics, real-time compliance checking, and risk scoring for suppliers, which helps in forecasting challenges and streamlining operations.

Rethinking Project Delivery: Contracts, FEED, and Culture

Sessions on Collaboration contracting in EPC emphasized a critical shift away from traditional, adversarial lump-sum contracts.

• Collaboration Contracting: These models focus on a relational approach, promoting joint project control, early participation of key partners, and a sharing of both risks and rewards based on project outcome. Collaborative models, like Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), use a single contract signed by all major parties, aligning incentives and focusing on the "best for project" mentality.

The session on Unleashing the power of FEED in water EPC Execution underscored the necessity of robust early-stage work. Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) is the most important phase for fixing project scope, reducing technical and commercial uncertainty, and preventing costly scope creep and design changes that typically arise in later execution phases. A well-executed FEED is the primary defense against project overruns, particularly in complex, regulated fields like water infrastructure.

Addressing Project Management overcoming and Coping with chaos, experts highlighted that many delays and cost overruns stem from poor planning, aggressive schedules, and inherited bidding inaccuracies. The solutions proposed include:

• Implementing a formal, disciplined change management process to control scope creep.

• Creating a culture of Stakeholder Alignment by establishing clear roles and communication channels.

• Employing centralized project management platforms to address decentralized data and coordination issues, providing total visibility.

Mastering Force Majeure

Given the unpredictable global environment, the session on Mastering Force Majeure was highly relevant. A Force Majeure event is an unforeseeable occurrence (e.g., natural disasters, war, government actions) that makes a party unable to perform its contractual obligations, provided the event is not within their reasonable control. Delays resulting from these events are typically excusable, granting the contractor an extension of time (EOT). However, the presenting party must contractually prove that the event directly caused the non-performance and that they took all reasonable steps to mitigate the adverse effects.

Conclusion

The 9th annual EPC Contracts and Project Management Summit was a powerful reminder that while the core principles of project execution remain, the tools and contracting strategies required to succeed are changing dramatically. The future of EPC is highly integrated, requiring a deeper cultural commitment to collaboration, an aggressive adoption of technologies like AI, and a strategic, proactive approach to contract and risk management. For any professional involved in capital projects, continuous learning and networking at events like this summit are essential to not just cope with, but thrive amid, the industry's chaos and complexity. We look forward to applying these insights to drive smarter, more profitable projects.