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Acronymsaka: Notice to Proceed

NTP (Notice to Proceed)

In Plain English

The official written notice from the owner telling the contractor to start construction.

Definition

A Notice to Proceed is a formal written authorization from the project owner to the contractor instructing them to begin work on the contract. The NTP typically establishes the official project start date from which contract milestones and the substantial completion deadline are calculated. On public projects, a contractor cannot begin work and is not entitled to compensation until the NTP is issued, even if the contract has already been executed.

Example

The county issues the NTP on March 1, establishing the 540-calendar-day contract period with a required substantial completion date of September 22 of the following year.

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