AIA Contract Documents 2007 Update

On November 5, the AIA will formally release the updated 2007 AIA Contract Documents-49 revised, new, or renumbered documents and commentaries.

AIA Contract Documents are acknowledged as the most balanced documents in the design and construction industry and, therefore, are the most widely used standard form agreements in the construction marketplace. It's not just a marketing slogan to say that they are the industry standard-our market research proves it.

However, as the design and construction industry evolves, so do the AIA Contract Documents. In response to changing industry practices, the Institute began a process four years ago to consult and collaborate with representatives of other organizations in the construction industry to publish the most up-to-date agreements in the industry. Only through wide solicitation of input can we understand the needs of all contracting parties and publish the most fair and balanced documents offered anywhere.

The major changes you'll see in the 2007 Update of the AIA Contract Documents include the following:

• In owner/contract agreements that incorporate AIA Contract Document A201TM-2007 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, the owner and contractor now have the option to engage an Initial Decision Maker to make initial decisions on claims. This option responds to owner and contractor groups who questioned the architect's impartiality and requested an alternative to the architect's involvement in the resolution of claims.
• Agreements now allow the consolidation of arbitrations, a concept that owners and contractors requested to allow economical resolution of claims involving multiple parties.
• Arbitration is now optional in both owner/contractor and owner/architect agreements, a provision that responds to changing views about the merits of mandatory arbitration.
• State law now governs the statute of limitations for filing claims in both owner/architect and owner/contractor agreements, subject to a 10-year cutoff following substantial completion.

For a comprehensive explanation of these and other changes, see the article, "2007 Revisions to AIA Contract Documents" (PDF).

The 2007 updates will be released simultaneously in both paper format and AIA software. To help users of AIA Contract Documents software make the transition, access is provided to both new and retired versions of the documents until May 31, 2009. The software will also provide access to a host of supporting information, such as commentaries and comparisons about the 2007 documents, that will also be available free of charge via www.aia.org. Paper customers will be able to purchase the retired versions from paper distributors throughout the transition period as long as inventory lasts.

For questions about revisions to the content of AIA documents, call Documents Information at the AIA, 202-626-7526, or send an e-mail to docinfo@aia.org and a member of the document content staff will contact you.