History Of Contract Documents
The American Institute of Architects publishes
more than 100 contracts and administrative forms that are
recognized throughout the design and construction industry as the
benchmark documents for managing transactions and relationships
involved in construction projects. The AIA's prominence in the
field is based on over 115 years of experience creating and
updating its documents. The history of AIA® Contract
Documents dates to 1888 when the AIA first published the Uniform
Contract for use between an owner and a contractor. In 1911, the
AIA published its first standardized general conditions for
construction. The 2007 edition of AIA® Document A201 is the
sixteenth edition of those general
conditions.
AIA documents maintain a symbiotic
relationship with the industry, each profoundly influencing the
other. The AIA regularly revises its documents to take into account
recent developments in the construction industry. Standardized
documents for design/build, for different types of construction
management, and for international practice have been published in
recent years.
AIA documents are intended for nationwide
use and are not drafted to conform to the law of any one state.
With that caveat, however, AIA documents provide a solid basis of
contract provisions that are enforceable under the existing law at
the time of publication. A significant body of case law
concerning contracts for design and construction is based largely
on the language of AIA standard forms. Those court decisions
are discussed in The American Institute of Architects Legal
Citator, published by Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., a
member of LexisNexis Group. Recent cases are summarized and
all cases are keyed to the specific provisions in the AIA documents
to which they relate.
The AIA's drafting process is a thorough
and deliberate approach that strives to achieve a fair balance
among interests affected by the contract documents. The process is
based on the cooperative input of a Documents Committee of
practicing architects who have been appointed based on their
experience, regional diversity, and variety of practices. Beyond
the input of these committee members, the AIA also solicits
feedback from owners, general contractors, engineers,
subcontractors, sureties, lawyers, insurers, and others. By
considering the opinions of a broad range of disciplines, the AIA
strives to publish documents that account for the best interests of
all parties affected by them.
AIA documents are categorized by family and series. This
dual method of organizing the documents makes it quicker and easier
for users to select the documents appropriate for their
projects. Documents in the same family are coordinated to tie
together the various legal and working relationships on the same
project types or delivery methods. They are linked by common
terminology and procedures and may also adopt one another by
reference. The relevant terms of A201™–2007, for
example, are adopted by reference in several agreements including
A101™–2007, A102™–2007, A103™–2007,
A401™–2007, B101™–2007, and
B103™–2007. Documents in each series reflect the
purpose of the document. For example, owner-contractor agreements
are found in the A series and contract administration forms are in
the G series. For further information, users are encouraged to
consult the Documents Organization Web
page.
For purposes of reference and
information, sample copies of current AIA documents are contained
in the Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice,
available online at the AIA Bookstore or through local
components. Sample copies of all the current documents are included
on the CD-ROM that accompanies the Handbook. The Handbook also
includes a section titled the "Documents Finder," which provides
a brief synopsis of each document, organized by
family.
For a section by section explanation of
the content of the AIA's two most influential documents view the
B101™–2007 Commentary and the A201™–2007
Commentary. These two commentaries are free for download.
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