A fee billed to clients to reserve your crew, equipment, or services during a set period — whether fully utilised or not. It protects subcontractors from revenue loss during standby or low-demand phases. Common in long-term service agreements for drilling, frac, or maintenance contracts.
Capacity Charge
Related Terms
Construction Input Costs
Cash FlowThe direct costs subcontractors pay to deliver field work, including labour, materials, fuel, and equipment. These costs fluctuate with market conditions, directly squeezing margins if contracts aren't priced accordingly. Tracking them closely helps subcontractors identify when to renegotiate rates or escalation clauses.
Project-Level Debt
Cash FlowFinancing borrowed against a specific project's revenue, not the owner's overall assets. Subcontractors should know this because payment depends on that project performing financially. If the project underperforms, your invoices may be delayed or disputed.
Nonresidential Inputs
Cash FlowMaterials, labour, and equipment costs tied to commercial and industrial construction projects. Subcontractors track these input costs to price bids accurately and protect margins. Rising input costs can erode fixed-price contract profitability quickly.
Beneficial Use
Cash FlowThe point when a client formally accepts and begins using delivered equipment or a completed scope of work. For subcontractors, this date often triggers final billing milestones or warranty periods. Confirm it in writing to protect your payment rights.
Differential
Cash FlowA pay premium added to a base rate for working in hazardous, remote, or demanding conditions. Subcontractors should account for applicable differentials when pricing bids and setting crew rates.
Bridging Power
Cash FlowA subcontractor's ability to fund operations while waiting on client payments. It covers payroll, fuel, and equipment costs between invoice and payment. Strong bridging power prevents work stoppages during slow pay cycles.
Latest Cash Flow News
Aecon and Arctic Gateway Sign MOU for Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway Development
Aecon Group has signed a collaboration agreement with Arctic Gateway Group to support infrastructure development in northern Manitoba, targeting the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay Railway. Subcontractors with remote construction experience should take note of upcoming opportunities in the region.
9 days ago Cash FlowNew Brunswick Prompt Payment Law Passed in 2023, Still Not Enforced — And Contractors Are Paying the Price
New Brunswick's prompt payment legislation received Royal Assent in 2023, but with no enforcement date set and no draft regulations released, contractors are still waiting months to get paid. Here's what the ongoing delay means for cash flow.
1 month ago Cash FlowCash Flow Strategy Gives Contractors an Edge in Volatile Market
Engineering News-Record outlines how contractors can manage cash flow through payment term negotiations, digital payments, and financial planning tools to stay competitive amid rising costs and economic uncertainty.
2 months ago Cash FlowChariot Backs Angola Offshore Deal With $12M, Gains Access to 4,000 bpd from Chevron-Operated Block
Chariot is financing an Angolan offshore acquisition with $12 million, securing production-linked cash flows from Block 14, a Chevron-operated asset producing around 40,000 bpd gross since 1999.
2 months agoRelated Guides
What Happens to Subcontractor Billing When a Project Stalls, Goes Over Budget, or Never Gets Commissioned
You did the work. The project was cancelled, shelved, or never activated. Here is what subcontractors need to know about billing rights, legal remedies, and how to get paid when no one wants to discuss the invoice.
Cash Flow GuidePost-Completion Warranty and Punch Work: Protecting Your Margins After the Job Ends
Warranty walks, punch lists, and post-completion callbacks eat into subcontractor margins. Learn how MSA warranty clauses work, when you can push back on mobilization costs, and how to document your way out of disputes.
Cash Flow GuideMechanic's Lien Rights for Subcontractors: What to Do When You're Not Getting Paid
A practical guide to mechanic's lien and materialman's lien rights for oilfield and construction subcontractors in Texas, Oklahoma, and Alberta — deadlines, filing steps, and leverage tactics.
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