Sorry Dave but you are incorrect with your statement here - I think you are thinking about the ECS where there the default is that there is a separate period for reply for Contractor and Subcontractor. Sometimes an Employer might change the standard CD1 wording too allow different response times for either party, or to allow different communications to have different response times. NEC4 now requires all periods of reply to be in Contract Data rather than also being in Works Information under NEC3.
In the ECC there is as a standard default one period for reply which applies to both Parties. This is to ensure that any communication is replied to within the contract and not left open ended. It is intended to cover any other contractual communications that does not have a standard response time already built in.
As you say there is not always much of a remedy depending on what communication is being ignored particularly if it is the Contractor not responding, but the PM has the option to raise an early warning/issue instructions accordingly.
I thin this is more about working within the spirit of the contract which I do agree with Dave about
In the ECC there is as a standard default one period for reply which applies to both Parties. This is to ensure that any communication is replied to within the contract and not left open ended. It is intended to cover any other contractual communications that does not have a standard response time already built in.
As you say there is not always much of a remedy depending on what communication is being ignored particularly if it is the Contractor not responding, but the PM has the option to raise an early warning/issue instructions accordingly.
I thin this is more about working within the spirit of the contract which I do agree with Dave about