On Nov. 15, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) plans to release its new and updated Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) family of contract documents. Next February, the AIA will release its updated Construction Manager as Adviser (CMa) family of documents.
These documents get updated on a 10-year revision cycle.
The AIA divides its contract documents into nine families, organized by delivery method. These include families for design-bid-build (the most widely used contract model), design-build, and integrated project delivery, as well as contracts that specifically cover interiors, small projects, and digital practices. The design-bid-build document family was updated in 2017.
Under CMc, the Construction Manager comes on the project during the preconstruction phase to provide early collaboration. In the construction phase, the CM does the construction work, as if it were a General Contractor.
Under the CMa, the Construction Manager is also retained by the owner for early collaboration during the preconstruction phase. But the CMas don’t perform the construction work. The CMa documents are designed for complex projects with more than one prime contractor. During the construction phase, the CMa coordinates and manages the contractors, as well as providing cost estimating and other functions.
Susan Van Bell, Senior Director and Counsel – AIA Contract Documents Content, tells BD+C that the AIA solicited input from CM practitioners about revisions to the documents so that they’d better reflect current practices.
From those conversations, CMs suggested that one change they wanted was a way to tailor the document for the scope of preconstruction services without having the standard contract language be too restrictive.
Van Bell says the 2019 CMc revision addresses this issue by inserting “fill points” into the contract where more preconstruction details can be identified. The update also makes some edits to the standard preconstruction services scope.
A schematic of the family of documents for Construction Manager as Advisor.
Â
The CMc documents now include insurance and bond exhibits, which had been added to the design-bid-build document family in its 2017 revision. Van Bell says there are also new exhibits for both the CMc and CMa documents that cover the role of the CM in sustainable projects.
The revised CMa documents clarify the CMa’s role in such areas as analyzing and coordinating the contractors’ schedules. The CMa is also the responsible party for managing a project’s digital information systems. “We clarified the communication process,” Van Bell says. The 2017 updates that required the establishment of protocols for digital data and BIM were carried into the CMc and CMa updates.
Related Stories
MFPRO+ News | Dec 18, 2023
Berkeley, Calif., raises building height limits in downtown area
Facing a severe housing shortage, the City of Berkeley, Calif., increased the height limits on residential buildings to 12 stories in the area close to the University of California campus.
Green | Dec 18, 2023
Class B commercial properties gain more from LEED certification than Class A buildings
Class B office properties that are LEED certified command a greater relative benefit than LEED-certified Class A buildings, according to analysis from CBRE. The Class B LEED rent advantage over non-LEED is about three times larger than the premium earned by Class A LEED buildings.
Codes and Standards | Dec 18, 2023
ASHRAE releases guide on grid interactivity in the decarbonization process
A guide focusing on the critical role of grid interactivity in building decarbonization was recently published by ASHRAE. The Grid-Interactive Buildings for Decarbonization: Design and Operation Resource Guide provides information on maximizing carbon reduction through buildings’ interaction with the electric power grid.
Sustainable Design and Construction | Dec 14, 2023
Suffolk Construction establishes Suffolk Sustainability Group
Design veterans Steven Burke and Michael Swenson will lead the new sustainability initiative for Suffolk.
75 Top Building Products | Dec 13, 2023
75 top building products for 2023
From a bladeless rooftop wind energy system, to a troffer light fixture with built-in continuous visible light disinfection, innovation is plentiful in Building Design+Construction's annual 75 Top Products report.Â
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 15 Veterans Affairs Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Walsh Group, Turner Construction, BL Harbert, and Hoar Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest Veterans Affairs facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.Â
Giants 400 | Dec 12, 2023
Top 35 Military Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Hensel Phelps, DPR Construction, Walsh Group, and Whiting-Turner top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest military facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.Â
Contractors | Dec 12, 2023
The average U.S. contractor has 8.5 months worth of construction work in the pipeline, as of November 2023
Associated Builders and Contractors reported today that its Construction Backlog Indicator inched up to 8.5 months in November from 8.4 months in October, according to an ABC member survey conducted Nov. 20 to Dec. 4. The reading is down 0.7 months from November 2022.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 80 Local Government Building Construction Firms for 2023
Turner Construction, Clark Group, Holder Construction, and Pepper Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest local government building general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 11, 2023
Top 50 State Government Building Construction Firms for 2023
Hensel Phelps, Turner Construction, Clark Group, and PCL Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest state government building general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.Â