Acceptance protocol
The acceptance protocol is the point at which a scope of works changes its owner of responsibility. From a process perspective it is an event with financial and schedule consequences — settlement runs from it, and often so does the warranty period for the given scope.
What separates acceptance from a "notice of readiness"
On site these two events are often confused, yet they differ completely:
| Attribute | Notice of readiness | Acceptance protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Who initiates | The contractor | The accepting party (investor / site inspector) |
| What it confirms | The contractor's declaration | Acceptance of the scope |
| Effect | Starts the procedure | Transfers responsibility, starts deadlines |
| Risk when no trail exists | Dispute over the readiness date | Dispute over scope and payment |
What this means for a system
An acceptance protocol must carry an unambiguously assigned scope in the register — a bill-of-quantities item, a work front, or a structure. A protocol described only in words ("earthworks, section II") is useless for settlement and typically generates reconstruction work many months later.
Related: as-built measurement, work front.
Sources
The substantive basis of this text. Items marked as own practice do not come from a document — they are delivery experience that cannot be verified with a publisher.
- DocumentGeneralny Dyrektor Dróg Krajowych i Autostrad / GDDKiA Oddział w KatowicachSTWiORB DM.00.00.00 (GDDKiA technical specification, in Polish), item 8 — final acceptance confirmed by a protocol drawn up to the Employer's template; partial acceptance vs. the „Świadectwo Przejęcia” (Taking-Over Certificate) (pp. 32–33)
- DocumentPKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A.PFU (TOM III SWZ) (PKP PLK employer's requirements, in Polish) — works acceptance protocols in the list of site documents (p. 103)
Where we write about this
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When a spreadsheet stops being enough in a construction process and how to tell. Decision criteria, hidden spreadsheet costs, and when a custom application pays off.