https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/ Practitioner writing on UK project controls — QRA, scheduling, cost management, Earned Value, and the NEC4 contract mechanics that drive them. Published by SOMA Project Controls. en-GB Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/how-much-does-a-qra-cost-uk/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/how-much-does-a-qra-cost-uk/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT What a Quantitative Risk Analysis costs in the UK — the factors that drive the price, fixed-scope vs day-rate pricing, what a credible QRA quote should include, and how to compare them. Practitioner guide. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qra-consultant-vs-in-house/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qra-consultant-vs-in-house/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT QRA consultant vs in-house: when to run a Quantitative Risk Analysis with your own team, when independence is required, the real cost of building in-house capability, and how to decide for your programme. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/critical-path-method-uk-programmes/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/critical-path-method-uk-programmes/ Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Critical Path Method (CPM) for UK programmes — forward/backward pass, total float, near-critical paths, and how CPM maps to NEC4, DCMA 14 and QSRA. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-clause-32-programme-revisions/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-clause-32-programme-revisions/ Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT NEC4 Clause 32 — when the Contractor must revise the Accepted Programme, what each revision must contain, and why silence ≠ acceptance under 31.3. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/budget-at-completion-bac-formula-worked-example/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/budget-at-completion-bac-formula-worked-example/ Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Budget at Completion (BAC) is the total approved budget — denominator of EAC, VAC and TCPI. The formula, a worked example, and where it quietly gets gamed. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/how-to-run-a-pre-mortem-workshop/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/how-to-run-a-pre-mortem-workshop/ Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT A pre-mortem assumes the project has already failed and asks the team to explain why. The facilitation script, common pitfalls, and how to use the outputs. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/capital-project-estimate-confidence-level/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/capital-project-estimate-confidence-level/ Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT A sponsor's guide to capital project estimate confidence levels — what P50, P80 and P95 mean in plain English, what the IPA Cost Estimating Requirements actually require at SOC, OBC and FBC stage gates, when P80 is the right risk-appetite point, and how to challenge the QRA your project team is asking you to approve. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-vs-prince2/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-vs-prince2/ Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT CADMID vs PRINCE2 — lifecycle vs method, scope, gateway vs stage boundary, and how the two coexist on UK MoD programmes. Controls implications per phase. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-concept-phase-controls/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-concept-phase-controls/ Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT CADMID Concept controls — Class-5 estimate, option-level QRA, reference-class comparison, risk register v0.1, and what IPA Gate 1 actually tests. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-assessment-phase-controls/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cadmid-assessment-phase-controls/ Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT CADMID Assessment controls — Class-3 estimate per option, integrated QCSRA, Green Book FBC alignment, and the IPA Gate 2-3 evidence reviewers test. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/running-a-qra-workshop/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/running-a-qra-workshop/ Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to facilitate a QRA risk workshop that produces calibrated inputs — the calibration problem, group dynamics, and turning outputs into a register. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/p50-p80-p95-confidence-levels-explained/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/p50-p80-p95-confidence-levels-explained/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT P50 is the IPA-required central estimate. P80 is the UK departmental sensitivity. P95 is for safety-critical work. How to pick the right one at sanction. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/three-point-estimate-calibration/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/three-point-estimate-calibration/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Three-point estimates for QRA — the PERT (O+4M+P)/6 and (O+3M+P)/5 formulas, why optimistic/pessimistic values are mis-calibrated, and how to fix it. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qra-report-that-survives-gateway/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qra-report-that-survives-gateway/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to structure a QRA report that survives IPA gateway review — documentation, reviewer mindset, common weak points, and Green Book alignment. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/risk-register-that-is-qra-ready/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/risk-register-that-is-qra-ready/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to structure a risk register so it feeds a QRA without restructuring — statement format, probability/impact scoring, and the schedule-cost mapping. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-clause-15-schedule-risk/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-clause-15-schedule-risk/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT NEC4 Clause 15 requires the programme to show float, critical path and effects of compensation events. What that means for schedule risk on live work. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/challenging-a-contractors-schedule/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/challenging-a-contractors-schedule/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT 10 questions every programme manager should ask about a contractor-submitted schedule, and what the answers reveal about delivery risk. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qsra-vs-qcra/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qsra-vs-qcra/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT QSRA vs QCRA — Quantitative Schedule Risk Analysis vs Quantitative Cost Risk Analysis. What each does, when you need one or both, and what good looks like. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/evm-under-nec4/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/evm-under-nec4/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Earned Value Management under NEC4 — what the ECC requires, how to build a compliant EVMS, and why most EV implementations fail at the data model. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/dcma-14-point-assessment-uk/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/dcma-14-point-assessment-uk/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT DCMA 14-point schedule assessment guide — what each metric tests, typical thresholds, and how to interpret the results on real UK programmes. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-in-defence/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-in-defence/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Project controls for UK defence — the CADMID lifecycle, MoD MPRP and IPA gateways, EVMS under DEF STAN, and the QRA the MoD actually accepts. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-day-rates-uk-2026/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-day-rates-uk-2026/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT UK project controls day rates 2026 — benchmarks by role (planner, cost engineer, QRA, PMO lead) and sector, inside and outside IR35. April 2026 figures. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/primavera-p6-vs-microsoft-project/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/primavera-p6-vs-microsoft-project/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Primavera P6 vs Microsoft Project — scheduling power, resource loading, EVM support, cost, and which tool fits which UK programme type. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qsra-readiness-before-the-monte-carlo/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/qsra-readiness-before-the-monte-carlo/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT The 25-check QSRA Readiness framework — how to tell a schedule that can be risk-loaded from one that just looks ready. Risk register half included. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reading-a-contractor-schedule-you-didnt-build/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reading-a-contractor-schedule-you-didnt-build/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to assess a contractor’s programme you inherited — DCMA 14 checks, logic quality, calendars, constraints, float, and what to brief the client. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/when-cpi-is-lying/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/when-cpi-is-lying/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT When earned value metrics mislead — materials on site, front-loaded progress, schedule-logic gaps, invoice lag — and what to use instead of CPI. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/integrated-cost-schedule-risk-analysis/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/integrated-cost-schedule-risk-analysis/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Integrated cost-schedule risk analysis (QCSRA) — how it works, which tools handle it, what AACE 57R-09 says, and why separate cost+schedule QRA fails. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/the-baseline-you-can-actually-defend/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/the-baseline-you-can-actually-defend/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Setting scope, schedule and cost baselines that hold under scrutiny — brittle baselines, NEC4 and FIDIC, and when rebaselining is honest vs a cover. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/primavera-p6-for-people-who-inherited-it/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/primavera-p6-for-people-who-inherited-it/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT A practical guide for UK practitioners who’ve inherited a Primavera P6 schedule — calendars, options, leveling, baselines, and a 2-hour audit checklist. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-maturity-what-good-looks-like/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/project-controls-maturity-what-good-looks-like/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT What good project controls maturity looks like in practice — cadence, ownership, variance reporting, and how to benchmark a team honestly. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reporting-that-survives-steering-group/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reporting-that-survives-steering-group/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Monthly steering-group reports that actually get read — one-page summary, five KPIs, variance narrative, and the anti-patterns that lose the room. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-early-warnings-the-mechanism-most-teams-waste/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-early-warnings-the-mechanism-most-teams-waste/ Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT NEC4 Clauses 15 and 16 — what counts as an early warning, how the Register works, and why silence is punished at Clauses 61.5 and 63.7 quantum. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-schedule-risk/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/nec4-schedule-risk/ Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT What NEC4 actually requires from the Accepted Programme — Clauses 31/32/63, float ownership, compensation events, and how to push back on PM rejection. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/monte-carlo-is-not-magic/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/monte-carlo-is-not-magic/ Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT What Monte Carlo simulation actually does in QRA, what it can’t fix, merge-bias and correlation pitfalls, and how to explain S-curves to a board. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/honest-guide-to-qra/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/honest-guide-to-qra/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT A plain-English guide to Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) — what it is, how Monte Carlo works, how to read S-curves and tornado charts, and the traps. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/why-your-s-curve-is-lying/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/why-your-s-curve-is-lying/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Why S-curves mislead — bad baselines, gaming, aggregation problems, and when to abandon S-curve reporting entirely on UK programmes. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reading-a-dcma-14-result-properly/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/reading-a-dcma-14-result-properly/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT How to read a DCMA 14-point schedule assessment — what each metric measures, which are routinely misinterpreted, and how to write a credible review. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill) https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cost-vs-schedule-contingency/ https://www.somaprojectcontrols.com/resources/guides/cost-vs-schedule-contingency/ Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Cost contingency vs schedule contingency — how each is calculated, why EMV and QRA serve different purposes, and how to defend the number to a board. noreply@somaprojectcontrols.com (Adam O'Neill)