AIA Contract Documents – Contract Relationship Diagrams

Full Description

This guide to AIA contract types uses relationship diagrams to show how the main AIA Contract Documents fit together and who is in contract with whom. It is a quick visual reference for owners, contractors, architects and project managers who need to understand the agreements on a project before they sign, manage or administer them.

What is an AIA contract document?

An AIA contract document is one of the standard form agreements and administration forms published by the American Institute of Architects for design and construction projects in the US. The documents are grouped into families by project delivery method, such as design-bid-build, construction manager as adviser, construction manager as constructor, design-build and integrated project delivery. Each family links agreements between the owner, architect, contractor and consultants to a common set of general conditions, so roles, payment and change procedures line up across the project.

When to use it

• Choosing a delivery method and working out which AIA agreements the project will need
• Explaining to an owner or new project manager how the contract parties relate to each other
• Checking that the owner-contractor and owner-architect agreements belong to the same document family
• Reviewing a bid package that references AIA forms you have not used before

What’s included

This is a reference guide in PDF format, not an editable template. It provides diagrams and insight into the various AIA contract types and shows how the relationships between the parties work, so you can see the contract structure of each delivery method at a glance.

How to use it

1. Identify the delivery method for your project, for example a conventional design-bid-build job or a design-build job.
2. Find the matching diagram and note which parties hold a direct contract and which only coordinate.
3. List the agreements and general conditions the diagram shows for that method.
4. Compare the list against the contract documents in your bid package or project file.
5. Flag any missing or mismatched documents and raise them with the owner, architect or your legal adviser before signing.

Tips

• Keep documents from the same family together. Mixing families can create gaps or conflicts in roles and procedures.
• Check the edition year of every AIA document. Forms are updated periodically and older editions differ.
• Get legal advice before you modify standard terms.

Related templates and guides

• AIA Guide to Contract Documents For Small Firms
• Common Types of Construction Contracts And Their Use
• Construction Contract Between Owner and Contractor
• Construction Management Contract
• Contract Document Log Template

Frequently asked questions

What is an AIA contract?

An AIA contract is a standard form agreement published by the American Institute of Architects. It sets out the scope, payment, responsibilities and procedures between parties such as the owner, architect and contractor. Because the forms are widely used and regularly updated, many owners, lenders and contractors in the US are familiar with their terms.

What are the main types of AIA contracts?

AIA documents are organized by series. A-series documents cover owner-contractor agreements, B-series cover owner-architect agreements, C-series cover other agreements such as architect-consultant, and G-series are contract administration forms. They are also grouped into families by delivery method, such as conventional, construction manager, design-build and integrated project delivery.

What is the difference between AIA A101 and A201?

A101 is the agreement between the owner and contractor where the basis of payment is a stipulated sum. A201 is the General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, which sets out the rights, responsibilities and procedures that apply to the work. A101 is normally used together with A201.

What is an AIA A133 contract?

A133 is the standard agreement between an owner and a construction manager as constructor, where the basis of payment is the cost of the work plus a fee with a guaranteed maximum price. It is part of the construction manager as constructor family and is commonly used with the A201 general conditions.

How are AIA contracts different from NEC or JCT contracts?

AIA documents are standard forms used mainly in the United States. NEC and JCT are standard form contract suites used mainly in the UK and some other countries. They cover similar ground, such as roles, payment and changes, but differ in structure, terminology and procedures, so use the suite your project and jurisdiction expect.