Peatland ACTION - Requests for variation to grant offer

To address concerns over the scale and cost of requests for variation to offers, particularly requests for additional funds, a new approach to considering requests has been introduced.

We will allocate all the available budget following the 2024/25 decision making process.  Our ability to support project variations, where increased funds are requested, will therefore be limited.  Our default position will be to reconsider the project design to reprioritise restoration works, agree what is achievable within the approved budget, and consider elements that can be removed or scaled back.

1.  We will not pay claims for any unapproved works or increased costs.  We will only pay claims where there is prior written approval from a PA Funding Officer (FO).

2.  Going forward, we will only approve requests for additional funds by exception. Before making a request for additional funds, PA Project Officers, Agents and contractors must work together to agree the best delivery outcomes, to maximise restoration, within the available (approved) budget.  All considerations explored should be documented in the request to the FO.

3.  Only where need is justified, and the additional features/restoration works are essential to the integrity of the restored area, and we have available budget, will we consider additional funds.  VFM will be reassessed for all requests for additional funds. We may, by exception, request that the project is retendered where the scale of change is significant e.g. due to significant under-mapping.