AIA releases updated edition of its A201 flagship documents

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) recently released the 2017 edition of the A201 family of documents.

This release includes updated versions of the AIA’s flagship documents developed for the design-bid-build delivery model. The AIA Documents Committee updates this core set of documents every 10 years.

“It is critically important that industry professionals learn about the 2017 revisions,” says Kenneth Cobleigh, Esq., Managing Director and Counsel of AIA Contract Documents. “The changes impact the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties directly, and understanding the changes will help everyone to promptly review and finalize project contracts.”

Major owner/architect changes include:

• Single Sustainable Projects Exhibit that can be used on any project and added to most AIA contracts to address risks and responsibilities associated with sustainable design and construction services.
• Agreements contain a fill point to prompt the parties to discuss and insert an appropriate “Termination Fee” for terminations for the owner’s convenience.
• Architect is no longer required to re-design for no additional compensation if he or she could not have reasonably anticipated the market conditions that caused the bids or proposals to exceed the owner’s budget.
• Services beyond Basic Services and identified at the time of agreement are now categorized as Supplemental Services, to avoid confusing them with Additional Services that arise during the course of the project.
• Agreements clarify how the Architect’s progress payments will be calculated if compensation is based on a percentage of the owner’s budget for the Work.