Legal Question in Business Law in Illinois

I�d like your thoughts on a situation that arises routinely at my company.

I am an engineer at a company that sells large complex systems that include software and hardware.

At some point in the project we bring the customer in and show them the software running with a simulation of the hardware.

Invariably, once the customer sees it all working, they think of something they would like changed or added. As the technical person in the room, the feasibility of the change or addition is put to me.

And here is the real question, If the change or addition is feasible, what language would be best to use in front of the customer?

In the past, I�ve said �We can do that�, after which, the project manager told me I just agreed to doing it for free. I could simply state that, �Such a change would be feasible.� And leave it at that, but I was wondering if there is a better way to phrase it. The project manager (not me) is responsible for deciding what to charge extra for, and what was covered in the original scope of the project.

Thanks,

Bill


Asked on 4/30/12, 6:50 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Cyndi Perez Trostin

Typically, the master agreement has a provision allowing for a change order to be agreed upon during the course of the project because it happens so often. If the master agreement doesn't have such language (or if you don't know - don't guess), then you might just want to refer it to your legal/contract department by saying, "From an engineering standpoint, we can do it. I'm sure the lawyers can amend the contract to accommodate your request."

Good luck to you.

Note: This answer does not constitute legal advice. Please consult the legal department of your company to obtain appropriate direction on this.

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Answered on 5/12/12, 2:32 pm


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