16  Principal Inspections

16.1  The Service Provider shall ensure that all Inspection Programmes include (as a minimum) the details (including the date, time and location) of the Principal Inspections to be undertaken by the Service Provider of all Structures, Bridges and Tunnels in the forthcoming six (6) Contract Years.

16.2  The Service Provider shall carry out all Principal Inspections in accordance with this Schedule 7, the Highways Structures Code and the Principal Inspection Programme for the relevant Contract Year.

16.3  No later than four (4) Months prior to the commencement of each Contract Year following the first Contract Year, the Service Provider shall submit to the Authority a revised Principal Inspection Programme pursuant to the Review Procedure and a copy of any risk assessments used in the development of all Principal Inspection Programmes.

16.4  The Service Provider shall carry out a Principal Inspection once every six (6) Years for the duration of the Contract Period.

16.5  The Service Provider shall procure that a Principal Inspection is of sufficient scope and quality to determine:

(a)  the condition of all parts of the Structure, Bridge or Tunnel (including the stability of the Structure, Bridge or Tunnel); and

(b)  the extent of any significant change or deterioration to each such Structure, Bridge or Tunnel since the last Principal Inspection.

16.6  The Service Provider shall ensure that a Principal Inspection shall establish:

(a)  the scope and urgency of any remedial or other actions required before the next Principal Inspection;

(b)  the need for a Special Inspection and/or additional investigations; and

(c)  the accuracy of the main information on the Structure, Bridge or Tunnel held in its Structures Files and the Management Information System.

16.7  The Service Provider shall ensure that all Principal Inspections undertaken from the commencement of Year 19 until the Expiry Date shall include an assessment of whether the Structures, Bridges and/or Tunnels (to which the Principal Inspections relate) comply with the Expiry Condition Requirements and the Service Provider shall provide to the Authority a written report detailing such assessments.