WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 22, 2013) – ConsensusDocs is releasin its first standard agreement for a lead architect or engineer to subcontract certain design work to other design professionals and consultants. The agreement makes it easier for architects, engineers to contract with other consultants providing a portion of design services work. In light of increasing design collaboration to achieve green design and through tools like building information modeling (BIM), this is an important document to round out the family of standard contract documents offered by ConsensusDocs. Now design professionals can utilize a consensus industry-approved document that allocates risk fairly between the “in responsible” design professional and its consultants.
“This document addresses risk consistently with the prime agreement, while addressing particular concerns attendant to the relationships between architects, engineers and their consultants, in a balanced way for all project stakeholders,” states Charlie Rogers, chair of the working group who drafted the document and partner at Smith, Currie and Hancock LLP in Atlanta, Georgia. “The ConsensusDocs 250 is a helpful new contract tool to encourage design professionals and consultants to collaborate on the management of risk on the design side of a project,” he added.
The newly-published agreement furthers the coalition’s goal improving the design and construction industry through better contracts. The coalition efforts are gaining traction.
“While less construction contracts were signed in 2012, more of the contracts being signed are using ConsensusDocs,” states Brian Perlberg, Executive Director and Counsel for ConsensusDocs. “Usership in ConsensusDocs grew 15 percent last year, because we provide fairer contracts that help owners and all project participants get better project results.”
ConsensusDocs are the only standard contracts written and endorsed by 38 leading design and construction industry associations. For more information, visit www.ConsensusDocs.org.
