by Brianna Crandall — January 12, 2015—The ConsensusDocs Coalition published in recent months what it calls a “first-of-its-kind” contract for projects using commissioning services, and announced two new subscription packages created specifically for owners.
Commissioning
The ConsensusDocs 820 Owner and Commissioning Authority Agreement (look for the “820” in the packages offered) provides fair language for owners to use when procuring commissioning services to verify building system performance. The new contract also establishes the rights and obligations of the professional who will serve as the commission authority.
“This agreement fills a serious void for building owners and the companies providing commission authority services for them,” said Brian Perlberg, executive director and counsel for ConsensusDocs. “This standard contract will save time, money and heartache as an off-the-shelf contract that does not have to be drafted from scratch.”
Perlberg noted that the AABC Commissioning Group (ACG), the leading association of certified commissioning authorities, provided input and is endorsing the document. The document is also based on input from members of the American Society for Healthcare Engineers (ASHE) and others in the field.
Like all ConsensusDocs form agreements, ConsensusDocs 820 was developed with the consensus of many different industry perspectives based on fair and balanced, best practice principles, says the group.
Owners
ConsensusDocs’ two new subscription packages created specifically for owners recognize that owners have a unique role in the design and construction industry, and help ensure that owners have access to standard contracts that address their contracting needs.
“These new owner-oriented subscription packages provide the flexibility for owners to take an active role in their design and construction projects, or to delegate those responsibilities to the appropriate party,” said Perlberg. “Unlike other standard contracts, ConsensusDocs are drafted to provide owners with the option to be more than just a check-payer.”
The new ConsensusDocs Owners package offers 39 contract documents tailored to meet owners project needs while the new ConsensusDocs Owners and Consultants package provides 19 contract documents specific to the unique relationship between owners and consultants, Perlberg explained. Both packages are reportedly available at a lower cost than the complete suite of documents to provide additional value to owners.
ConsensusDocs standard contracts were created to provide a fair and balanced option, written and endorsed by 40+ organizations representing designers, owners, contractors, subcontractors, and sureties. Users receive a comprehensive set of contracts via a cloud-based technology platform that provides 24/7, anytime, anywhere access with easy editing in Microsoft Word.
