The NEC3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (June 2005) (ECSC) is an alternative to NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (June 2005) (ECC) and is for use with contracts which do not require sophisticated management techniques, comprise straightforward work and impose only low risks on both the Employer and the Contractor.

The NEC3 ECC Short Subcontract (ECSSC) can be used as a subcontract to either the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) or the NEC3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC), where the subcontract involved is low risk, straightforward and does not requite sophisticated management techniques.

These two documents are complemented by the NEC3 ECC Short Contract Guidance Notes and Flow Charts, which contain commentary for the clauses of both contracts and also explain their procedural logic.

Construction Clients' Board endorsement of NEC3
The Construction Clients' Board (formerly Public Sector Clients' Forum) recommends that public sector organisations use the NEC3 contracts when procuring construction.

Standardising use of this comprehensive suite of contracts should help to deliver efficiencies across the public sector and promote behaviours in line with the principles of Achieving Excellence in Construction.