I'm not sure where the AIA "defines" Conformed Drawings. I am sure that such services are uniformly listed as a potential supplemental service in most of the Owner-Architect agreements. In my opinion, this is an example of a service that used to be relatively rarely needed but is increasingly demanded by General Contractors, and General Contractors masquerading as Construction Managers on all kinds and scales of projects to shift risk from themselves back to the architect. Worse still, architects seem more than willing to acquiesce.
Remember that any AIA Owner-Contractor or Construction Manager agreement defines the Contract Documents as the Agreement, the conditions of the contract, the drawings and specifications, plus any addenda or other documents issued prior to the agreement, and then any modifications issued after agreement. It is the Contractor/CM's job to correlate those various elements in the fulfillment of its obligations under the contract. When we agree to provide Conformed Drawings, we shift the responsibility for correlation back to the Architect. If an addendum item slips through the cracks, that becomes an error or omission of the architect, and it seems to me that risk is high.
The trick is to communicate to the Owner that the process is not broken. The Contractor/CM doesn't
need the conformed set, but having it certainly makes their life easier (and safer if you buy my thesis). The cost to create the drawings, and there should be a cost to not only conduct the technical task of incorporating all the changes as well as the more difficult task of making sure it's all there and coordinated, doesn't really benefit the Owner, it benefits the Contractor/CM.
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Kevin Miller AIA
GSBS Architects
Salt Lake City UT
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-30-2020 09:04 PM
From: David Brotman
Subject: Define Conformed Drawings
I know that the AIA defines "Confirmed Drawing" as bid documents that have been revised to include addendum and bidding clarifications. In my fifty years of practice, I have never seen the term used. I am now faced with a situation where I have to have a better understanding of these documents. Are they required for a GMP CMAR contract? How often is the term used, and does it always mean the same thing? Anything else you can offer.
Thanks for your help
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David Brotman FAIA
Past AIA Regional Director
Sunset Consultants
Scottsdale AZ
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