Documentation

The Open Contracting Data Standard can be used to provide information on all stages of a contracting process, from planning through to implementation.

This extension introduces four fields that can be used at the end of a contracting process to provide details of the final date and value of the contract, and, where there is variation, to provide a justification of this.

Using existing OCDS fields within a contracts register

OCDS contains many existing fields that can be used as part of a Contracts Register. These are documented in the schema reference. This extension does not modify any of these fields. However, the following list is provided for convenience of those considering the design of a contracts register:

  • Supplier details should be recorded within the awards section, linked via contracts.awardID (even if you are only releasing information at the contract stage, you may provide information in the tender and award sections).
  • Contract documents can be linked to under contracts.documents.
  • Performance reports can be provided under contracts.implementation.documents.
  • Details of payments can be provided under contracts.implementation.transactions.
  • Progress details can be provided using contracts.implementation.milestones.
  • Amendments can be described using the contracts.amendments array, and with past values provided using the OCDS releases model as described here.

Using milestones to show contract completion

Milestones may have a status of 'scheduled', 'met', 'notMet' or 'partiallyMet'. By providing at least one milestone for a contract, and then ensuring milestones.status is updated when implementation.endDate you can indicate whether a contract ended with successful delivery of all milestones and deliverables.

Example

Note the difference between the contract period and value (as agreed in the contract, or amended contract), and the implementation finalValue and endDate, along with the explanation provided of this variance.

{
  "contracts": [
    {
      "id": "1",
      "awardID": "1",
      "title": "Contract to build new cycle lanes in the centre of town.",
      "period": {
        "startDate": "2010-07-01T00:00:00Z",
        "endDate": "2012-01-01T23:59:00Z",
        "maxExtentDate": "2012-01-31T23:59:00Z"
      },
      "value": {
        "amount": 11500000,
        "currency": "GBP"
      },
      "implementation": {
        "endDate": "2012-02-01T00:00:00Z",
        "endDateDetails": "Project was completed one day beyond the extended deadline.",
        "finalValue": {
          "amount": 11800000,
          "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "finalValueDetails": "The final payment to the supplier included a compensation payment triggered by the local authority failure to provide work permits on schedule."
      }
    }
  ]
}

The examples directory contains a full worked example with:

  • A release that provides details of a contract;
  • A release that includes an amendment to the contract to increase the total value, as well as initial payment transactions;
  • A release that contains a confirmed end date, final value, and the explanation of variation in these.

This is also provided as an OCDS record and as an Excel file.

In the Excel file, it is possible to see three releases describing the three key moments from the same contracting process.

Issues

Report issues for this extension in the ocds-extensions repository, putting the extension's name in the issue's title.

Changelog

2020-06-04

  • Review normative and non-normative words

2020-04-24

  • Add minProperties, minItems and/or minLength properties.

This extension was originally discussed in https://github.com/open-contracting/standard/issues/703.