In this guide 6 sections
Agree the measurement before the bill arrives, check every line against the BOQ rate, and write a reason beside each deduction. That is the core of sound RA bill certification. GullySystem builds the certification and client reporting side for consultants. A PMC running one small fit-out can manage with a well-kept sheet.
Agree quantities on site, not on the due date
Most certification disputes start with measurement, not rates. The contractor’s engineer records one figure and your QS records another. When both notebooks meet only on the day the bill falls due, every line turns into an argument.
Fix a joint measurement before the bill is raised. Your site engineer and the contractor’s engineer walk the work together and sign one sheet. Items they disagree on are listed apart, with the reason. Agreed items then pass quietly.
- One joint measurement sheet per package each month
- Disputed items listed separately, with the reason
- Signatures from both engineers on the same sheet
- Dated photos of the measured work, tagged to the location
Check each line against the BOQ and earlier bills
A running account bill is cumulative. Each line shows quantity to date, quantity already billed and this bill’s share. The QS checks the to-date figure against the agreed measurement and the rate against the BOQ.
Extra items need their own check. Where a variation was approved, its reference belongs on the line. Where it was not, the line waits. Write that rule down so contractors know it before they bill.
Write a reason beside every deduction
Deductions cause the longest arguments. Retention, advance recovery, rework, client-supplied material and quality holds each need a stated basis. A bare figure invites a phone call.
Tie quality holds to the non-conformance report behind them. Once the rework is checked on site and the NCR closes, the hold can be released in the next bill. The contractor sees the rule and the evidence side by side.
- Retention at the rate the contract states
- Advance recovery against the agreed schedule
- Holds tied to an open NCR number
- Client-supplied material at the agreed issue rate
Issue the certificate and feed the client’s numbers
The payment certificate states what was claimed, what was certified and why the two differ. It carries the certifier’s name and date. Send it to the contractor and the client’s accounts team together.
Certified amounts then feed cost against budget. Awarded packages, certified bills and approved variations sit beside the client’s budget heads. Monday’s MIS can quote them without retyping.
Keep the books apart. You certify and report. The client pays.
When a sheet is enough, and when it is not
A consultant on one fit-out with two contractors can certify from a disciplined spreadsheet. One tab per bill, one for measurements and one for deductions will do.
The sheet strains as projects, packages and retention periods pile up. Test it with one question. Can any deduction be traced to its reason without opening three files?
- Several projects open at the same time
- Many packages billing every month
- Retention running across years of bills
- Clients asking for the history of a single deduction
RA bill certification checklist
A one-page checklist for each running account bill: joint measurement signed, rates matched to the BOQ, variations referenced, deductions reasoned and NCR holds listed. Tick each line before the certificate is signed. Unticked lines show where the next dispute will start.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
Will certification software replace MS Project?
No. Planners keep the programme where they work today. It can be brought in so progress is compared against it, but scheduling stays in the planning tool.
Can the client see certified bills and decisions?
Yes, where a client login is set up. The client sees the reports and decisions meant for them, and nothing about your other projects or fees.
Is contractor construction software the same thing?
Not quite. Contractor software tracks his own stages, labour and running bills. A PMC needs the checking side: measurements, reasoned deductions, certificates and client reports.
Does the software decide what to deduct?
No. The contract and your QS decide that. The record holds each deduction, its reason and who approved it.