As you say the contract is clear that the Project Manager assesses if the Contractor has not submitted a quotation within the timescales. However, if they haven't, there is no harm in the Contractor submitting a quote and they are certainly not restricted to do so. What the Project Manager chooses to do with that quotation is another question - although they would be pretty foolish not to look at it and consider it. I always say it is much easier for the PM to start with a Contractors quote and cross out what they don't agree with, rather than starting from scratch from first principles.
If either party know they will be late in producing a quote or assessing it then they can notify a request for an extension, and as long as it is for good reason likely to be accepted by the other party. This is much better than just letting the timescales lapse.
I suggest here a bit of a meeting or workshop is called here for all Parties to understand where they are with all CE's to date and agree an action plan to resolve historical issues, and more importantly agree an action plan that future CE's will not slip into the same delay in assessments. Resource levels should be considered as well as it would appear that they are not sufficient to keep on top of the amount of change. Projects need to adjust resource levels accordingly than fix the resources and deal with the issues the best they can in the timescales they can achieve.
Never an easy situation to keep on top of - but the alternative which is assess everything at the end which will be VERY time consuming and VERY subjective is far far worse for both Parties and no one has a clue on their relative liability.
If either party know they will be late in producing a quote or assessing it then they can notify a request for an extension, and as long as it is for good reason likely to be accepted by the other party. This is much better than just letting the timescales lapse.
I suggest here a bit of a meeting or workshop is called here for all Parties to understand where they are with all CE's to date and agree an action plan to resolve historical issues, and more importantly agree an action plan that future CE's will not slip into the same delay in assessments. Resource levels should be considered as well as it would appear that they are not sufficient to keep on top of the amount of change. Projects need to adjust resource levels accordingly than fix the resources and deal with the issues the best they can in the timescales they can achieve.
Never an easy situation to keep on top of - but the alternative which is assess everything at the end which will be VERY time consuming and VERY subjective is far far worse for both Parties and no one has a clue on their relative liability.