A government customer asks your team to take on one more task. It sounds related to the project, and everyone wants to keep the work moving. But is it included in the contract, or is the agency asking for something additional?
That question can become expensive long before anyone uses the words “REA” or “claim.” A recent decision is a useful reminder to manage the boundary between the work you agreed to perform and the work you are being directed to do.
The recent decision
On August 28, 2026, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals addressed a scope dispute in Michael Avramides Architects v. Department of Veterans Affairs, CBCA 8529 and 8865. During construction, VA directed its architect-engineer to review the construction contractor’s monthly critical path method schedules. The firm argued that those reviews were outside its contract.
The disagreement turned on what “schedules” meant in the relevant provision. The Board found the term ambiguous and denied VA’s motion for summary judgment. It wanted more evidence, including the actual provisions of prior contracts, before resolving the parties’ competing interpretations.
This was not an award of extra compensation. The decision left the dispute for further proceedings. For contractors, the practical lesson is to preserve the documents that show what the parties agreed to and how the work developed.
Make the original scope easy to find
After award, assemble a working contract file that your delivery team can actually use. Keep the signed contract, statement of work, incorporated attachments, modifications, and relevant correspondence together. Identify the requirements that drive staffing, hours, deliverables, and recurring obligations.
A proposal archive alone is not enough. Your team needs to know which commitments became part of the awarded contract and which assumptions need clarification. When a new request arrives, compare it with the complete agreement rather than one familiar sentence.
Record the request before it becomes routine
Capture who requested the work, when they requested it, what they asked for, and how it differs from your current understanding of the requirement. Keep the original email or direction and confirm oral discussions in writing.
For example, “please review this monthly report” may sound minor. A recurring review that requires specialist staff, a new analysis, or a short turnaround can create a substantial operating commitment. Describe the actual task and its effect on your team.
Separate the performance issue from the payment issue
Clarify the direction with the contracting officer and check the contract’s applicable notice and changes procedures. Get advice promptly if you are unsure about your obligations. A disagreement about scope does not automatically permit you to stop work, and an informal assurance from a project contact may not resolve the contractual issue.
At the same time, track the additional effort. Use a distinct cost code or other practical method to record labor, outside support, and related impacts. A later request for compensation is much harder to explain when everything has been absorbed into ordinary project costs.
Build the record while the facts are fresh
A useful change log answers four questions:
- What changed? Describe the added or revised task and the relevant contract requirement.
- What is the evidence? Preserve the direction, correspondence, work products, and applicable contract documents.
- What was the impact? Record the people, time, cost, and schedule effects, with supporting detail.
- What happens next? Assign an owner for clarification, required notices, follow-up, and any proposed adjustment.
Those records support day-to-day decisions as well as a potential REA or claim. They also help leadership decide whether a negotiated adjustment is worth pursuing and what information is still missing.
Contract management starts before the dispute
Good contract administration makes changes visible early. PCS helps contractors organize performance records, document changes, develop supporting narratives and cost information, and prepare REAs and claims with the appropriate professional support.
Learn more about our Contract Management & Claims support, or tell us where your project is running into additional work.