文 / 李 健
關(guān)于FIDIC1999 施工合同文本Conditions of Contract for Construction 中的13. Variations and Adjustment“13 變更和調(diào)整”條款,我們已經(jīng)討論過其13.1 Right to Vary“13.1 變更權(quán)”和13.2 Value Engineering“13.2 價值工程”款。今天我們接著往下討論。
If the Engineer requests a proposal, prior to instructing a Variation, the Contractor shall respond in writing as soon as practicable, either by giving reasons why he cannot comply (if this is the case) or by submitting:
(a) a description of the proposed work to be performed and a programme for its execution,
(b) the Contractor’s proposal for any necessary modifications to the programme according to Sub-Clause 8.3 [Programme] and to the Time for Completion, and
(c) the Contractor’s proposal for evaluation of the Variation.
The Engineer shall, as soon as practicable after receiving such proposal (under Sub-Clause 13.2 [Value Engineering] or otherwise), respond with approval, disapproval or comments. The Contractor shall not delay any work whilst awaiting a response.
Each instruction to execute a Variation, with any requirements for the recording of Costs, shall be issued by the Engineer to the Contractor, who shall acknowledge receipt.
Each Variation shall be evaluated in accordance with Clause 12 [Measurement and Evaluation], unless the Engineer instructs or approves otherwise in accordance with this Clause.
在發(fā)出變更指示前,如果工程師要求承包人提交一份建議書,承包人應(yīng)當(dāng)盡快作出書面回復(fù),要么說明不能滿足要求的理由(如果的確不能滿足),要么提交以下資料:
(1)建議將要實施的工作的說明書和施工進度計劃;
(2)承包人依據(jù)第8.3 款修改進度計劃和竣工時間的建議書;
(3)承包人對變更估價的建議書。
工程師收到此類建議(依據(jù)第13.2 款[價值工程]或其他規(guī)定)后,應(yīng)當(dāng)盡快給予批準(zhǔn)、不批準(zhǔn)或提出意見的回復(fù)。在等待回復(fù)期間,承包人不得延誤任何工作。
實施變更的每一項指示,連同記錄費用的要求,均應(yīng)當(dāng)由工程師向承包人簽發(fā),并由承包人確認收到。
每一項變更均應(yīng)當(dāng)依據(jù)第12 條[測量與估價]進行估價,除非工程師依據(jù)本款另有指示或批準(zhǔn)。
點評:1.本款主要是工程師要求承包人提交變更建議書所引發(fā)的變更程序。我們已經(jīng)知道,根據(jù)13.1 Right to Vary的規(guī)定,Variations may be initiated by the Engineer at any time prior to issuing the Taking-Over Certificate for the Works, either by an instruction or by a request for the Contractor to submit a proposal。啟動變更程序的方式有兩種,即在頒發(fā)工程接收證書前的任何時間,工程師一方面可以通過發(fā)布指示的方式提出變更,另一方面可以以要求承包人提交建議書的方式提出變更。本款規(guī)定的主要就是工程師要求承包人提交變更建議書所引發(fā)的變更程序。同時,這一款也區(qū)別于13.2 Value Engineering,13.2 規(guī)定的是承包人“主動”提出變更建議引發(fā)的變更程序,雖然這個“主動”提出的變更建議要產(chǎn)生實際變更效果仍然需要得到工程師的批準(zhǔn)。
2.這個變更程序包括四個環(huán)節(jié):
第一,承包人回復(fù)respond 工程師的要求request。The Contractor shall respond in writing as soon as practicable to the Engineer’s request to submit a proposal. 回復(fù)應(yīng)當(dāng)是書面形式的in writing;回復(fù)的內(nèi)容存在兩種可能,一種是不能滿足要求的理由,一種是給出建議書等具體資料,包括工程說明書a description of the proposed work to be performed、進度計劃a programme for the execution、竣工時間的調(diào)整modification to the Time for Completion、變更估價evaluation of the Variation等;在時間上,回復(fù)應(yīng)當(dāng)是盡快的as soon as practicable,實踐中,工程師可以在其要求中列明承包人回復(fù)的時間限制。
第二,工程師回復(fù)承包人建議。工程師回復(fù)分三種情況,分別是批準(zhǔn)approval、不予批準(zhǔn)disapproval、提出意見comments。雖然在時間上,也要求工程師的回復(fù)應(yīng)當(dāng)是盡快的as soon as practicable,但在實踐中,通常承包人無權(quán)要求工程師在回復(fù)其建議書方面提出時間限制。注意,The Contractor shall not delay any work whilst awaiting a response. 在等待回復(fù)期間,承包人不得延誤任何工作。從這一點也可以看出,只要工程師沒有給出回復(fù),承包人都應(yīng)當(dāng)按照變更前的合同約定履行合同。更實際一點來說,as soon as practicable,在此處到底是何含義,可能需要結(jié)合構(gòu)成建議書文件的數(shù)量、內(nèi)容的復(fù)雜程度等因素才能大致合理確定。
第三,工程師簽發(fā)變更指示。工程師簽發(fā)變更指示時,還應(yīng)當(dāng)書面要求承包人對實施變更工程產(chǎn)生的各項費用進行記錄with any requirements for the recording of Costs。工程師簽發(fā)的變更指示以及記錄費用的要求應(yīng)當(dāng)由承包人確認收到acknowledge receipt—所謂確認收到,就是中文中常講的“回執(zhí)”,其名詞形式是acknowledgement of receipt。
第四,變更計量。除非工程師依據(jù)本款另有指示或批準(zhǔn),變更均應(yīng)當(dāng)依據(jù)第12 條Measurement and Evaluation “測量與估價”進行估價。
3.雖然我們說,本款主要是工程師“要求”承包人提交變更建議書所引發(fā)的變更程序;但是,在工程師回復(fù)承包人建議、工程師簽發(fā)變更指示、變更計量中,其建議書則包含了承包人“主動”提交變更建議書的情形。這一看法有兩個方面的證據(jù)。其一,13.2 Value Engineering 中載明,The proposal shall be prepared at the cost of the Contractor and shall include the items listed in Sub-Clause 13.3 [Variation Procedure] 。 這是在說,承包人“主動”提出的建議書由承包人自費編制,并應(yīng)當(dāng)包含第13.3 款[變更程序]所列條目。其二,The Engineer shall,as soon as practicable after receiving such proposal (under Sub-Clause 13.2 [Value Engineering] or otherwise), respond……這里括號中文字顯示,此類建議可以是“依據(jù)第13.2 款[價值工程]或其他規(guī)定”而提出的建議。
If the Contract provides for payment of the Contract Price in more than one currency, then whenever an adjustment is agreed,approved or determined as stated above, the amount payable in each of the applicable currencies shall be specified. For this purpose, reference shall be made to the actual or expected currency proportions of the Cost of the varied work, and to the proportions of various currencies specified for payment of the Contract Price.
如果合同規(guī)定合同價款以一種以上貨幣進行支付,只要一項調(diào)整已經(jīng)按照上述規(guī)定得以商定、批準(zhǔn)或確定,則以每種適用貨幣進行支付的應(yīng)付金額均應(yīng)當(dāng)列明。為此目的,可以參考已變更工作費用的實際或預(yù)期的貨幣的比例以及為支付合同價款所規(guī)定的各種貨幣的比例。
點評:1.本款規(guī)定的是,在合同規(guī)定合同價款以一種以上貨幣進行支付情況下,因工程變更引起的費用調(diào)整應(yīng)當(dāng)怎樣以適用貨幣進行支付。
2.實踐中,合同當(dāng)事人可以就變更事項引起的費用調(diào)整商定以某一種或某幾種貨幣進行支付,在這種情況下,每種貨幣支付金額的多少或者比例應(yīng)當(dāng)明確約定specified。當(dāng)約定支付的貨幣未覆蓋合同約定的全部貨幣時,未覆蓋到的貨幣支付金額實際是零,也應(yīng)當(dāng)列明,以免產(chǎn)生糾紛。確定每種貨幣支付金額的多少或者比例時,可以參照reference 已變更工作費用的實際或預(yù)期的貨幣的比例,也參照合同中關(guān)于合同價款以一種以上貨幣進行支付的條款。
3.注意,確定每種貨幣支付金額的多少或者比例,文本列出了參照reference 的兩種情形;這里只是參照,不是必須;但也還是有慣例可循的。FIDIC1999 施工合同文本Conditions of Contract for Construction 第14.15 款 Currencies of Payment“支付的貨幣”,是值得關(guān)注的,它強調(diào)了投標(biāo)書附錄相應(yīng)內(nèi)容的重要性。The Contract Price shall be paid in the currency or currencies named in the Appendix to Tender. Unless otherwise stated in the Particular Conditions, if more than one currency is so named, payments shall be made as follows:……合同價款應(yīng)當(dāng)按照投標(biāo)書附錄中指定的貨幣或幾種貨幣進行支付。除非專用條件中另有約定,如果規(guī)定了一種以上的貨幣,應(yīng)當(dāng)按照以下辦法支付:……(以下分別情形給出了支付貨幣的確定方法,這些方法可以認為是無強制力的慣例,這里從略。)
同時,F(xiàn)IDIC 在專用條件編寫指南中指出,If all payments are to be made in Local Currency, it must be named in the Letter of the Tender, and only the first sentence of this Sub-Clause will apply.如果所有支付都用當(dāng)?shù)刎泿牛|道國貨幣)支付,則應(yīng)當(dāng)在投標(biāo)函中特別列明,僅適用本款中第一句話(即The Contract Price shall be paid in the currency or currencies named in the Appendix to Tender)。同時,F(xiàn)IDIC 還給出了Example Sub-Clause for a Single Currency Contract “單一貨幣合同”示范條款。所有這些都是為了減少多幣種支付可能引發(fā)的糾紛。