Numbered REMINDER in a site meeting report: what the project manager needs to know to avoid leaving a request without legal follow-through
Your CR shows “REMINDER 7” next to a request for weather bulletins. The contractor hasn’t responded in 7 meetings. You think you’ve done your job by following up. But have you actually created the record that protects you — and that compels action?
Type | Phase | Actors | Impact | Stakes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CR status | Execution | MOE (project manager), OPC (scheduling coordinator), Contractor, Client (MO) | High | contractual | Obs. column of the CR tracking tables |
1. Operational definition + common mistake
In a site meeting report, the status REMINDER (“reminder”) — followed by a number — flags that an observation initially logged as PM has not been handled within the normal timeframe. The number indicates how many times this request has been reiterated without a response. REMINDER 1 means it’s the first follow-up; REMINDER 7 means the request has been open and unanswered for at least 7 meeting cycles.
The numbered REMINDER is both a tracking tool and a piece of contractual evidence. The documented repetition of the same request constitutes a record that can be relied upon in the event of a dispute, a claim, or a liability assessment.
Many assume REMINDER 7 simply means “we forgot to close this point” — in reality, a REMINDER 7 in a signed and distributed CR constitutes seven pieces of evidence that the contractor received the request and did not act on it. It’s the starting point for a formal notice (mise en demeure) or the application of penalties.
2. Where it appears
In a site meeting report — “Obs.” column, tracking table by trade and by item. The MOE (or OPC) increments the number at every session where the point remains unanswered. Examples from the analyzed CR:
VFI → SMBTP ERILIA — “Supply the weather bulletins for September and November 2025, April 2026” — Obs.: REMINDER 7
VFI → SMBTP CAROLI TP — “Plan the installation of a compliant temporary fence” — Obs.: REMINDER 9
VFI → SMBTP CSPS — “Send your PPSPS and VIC to the CSPS for validation” — Obs.: REMINDER 9
VFI → ERILIA ENEDIS — “No contact made by the new ENEDIS account manager” — Obs.: REMINDER 3 (since 16/04/2026)
3. How to read this entry in the CR
If you’re the MOE issuing a REMINDER → check that the original request is identifiable by a date or reference. Without that, the number alone doesn’t let you reconstruct the history.
If you see REMINDER 3 or higher on a critical point (safety, validation document, utility-operator coordination) → consider backing it up with a formal instruction (ordre de service) or a registered letter. The CR alone is not always enough to trigger contractual penalties.
If you’re the contractor receiving a REMINDER → know that this number is evidence of your delay. Handling the request and responding in writing is the only way out of this situation before it becomes contractually unfavorable.
If the REMINDER concerns a safety document (PGC, PPSPS, VIC) → the risk goes beyond the contractual: it engages criminal liability in the event of an incident.
4. Who does what
Actor | What REMINDER means to them | Concrete action |
|---|---|---|
MOE / OPC | Unhandled request, evidence built up | Increment the number, assess whether a formal instruction or notice is needed, alert the client if the delay is blocking the schedule |
Recipient contractor | Documented, enforceable delay | Handle the request immediately and confirm in writing, specifying the completion date |
Client (MO) | Warning signal on progress | Ask the MOE for a status update on next steps beyond the REMINDER |
CSPS | If the REMINDER concerns a safety document | Remind the contractor in writing of its regulatory obligations |
5. What this changes in practice
A project manager who uses the numbered REMINDER correctly can show, at a glance, the complete history of an unhandled request and build the evidence file needed to apply penalties or start a formal notice procedure. A project manager who confuses REMINDER with PM (by reverting an already-followed-up point back to PM) breaks the continuity of the evidence and weakens contractual traceability.
Failure scenario: the shell-and-structure contractor hasn’t supplied the requested weather bulletins for 7 meetings (REMINDER 7 in CR No. 11). In the event of a dispute over delay penalties or the attribution of a delay, the contractor challenges the request. If the earlier CRs don’t show the REMINDER 1→7 progression, the MOE cannot prove the request was continuous and formal.
6. Example of real wording
“Supply the weather bulletins for: September and November 2025 – April 2026.” — Obs.: REMINDER 7
“Ahead of starting your works, let us know whether you are using subcontractors” — Obs.: REMINDER 9
7. Points of caution
A REMINDER doesn’t replace a formal instruction: to trigger contractual penalties, check the terms set out in the contract.
A REMINDER with no date for the original request is legally weaker — always reference the first PM.
A REMINDER number shouldn’t be incremented if the nature of the request changes between two CRs: keep the same line and the same wording.
A REMINDER on a safety point (PPSPS, collective protections, mandatory registers) can engage the MOE’s criminal liability if it isn’t escalated beyond the CR.
Don’t confuse the numbering of a request (REMINDER 9 = 9 follow-ups) with the numbering of an issued document (RJC 17 = 17th coordination logbook entry).
8. Not to be confused with
Related term | Key difference |
|---|---|
PM | Open point, no documented delay yet — first occurrence |
INFO | Information passed on, no action requested in return |
FAIT | Request handled and verified — tracking closed |
Formal instruction (ordre de service) | Formal contractual instruction — stronger evidentiary value than the CR alone |
9. Related terms
Same phase (execution): PM · FAIT · INFO · RAS · Formal instruction (ordre de service) · Formal notice (mise en demeure) · Delay penalties
Same actor (MOE/OPC): Site meeting report · Tracking dashboard · CR distribution
<-
BACK TO FULL GLOSSARY