This intro course will walk you through contract documents used at various stages of a project, from what is required to form a valid contract, the components in a tender call/invitation to tender, document hierarchy, to change orders and directives, and more! *Please note, this is an introductory-level course.
The Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC®) defines construction documents in the following way:
Construction Contract Documents are the written documents that define the roles, responsibilities, and “Work” under the construction Contract, and are legally-binding on the parties (Owner and Contractor)
This is a broad-scope definition which implies that there are many different types of documents involved which is, in fact, true. Understanding the difference between the contract and the various construction contract documents and the role they play is key to the successful execution of a construction project.
Construction documents may include: Prequalification Forms; Tender forms and documents; Addenda; Construction drawings and plans; Articles of agreement, definitions and general terms & conditions; Supplementary general terms and conditions; Change orders and directives; Schedules; Shop drawings; Financial breakdowns; Statutory declarations; and, Bonding agreements.
Course content will cover:
- Contract Law Fundamentals
- Contracts vs Contract Documents
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Primary vs Secondary Rights
- Primary vs Secondary Obligations
- Assignment of Rights
- Assignment of Obligations
- Procurement Options
- Tender Documents
- Bonding
- Prequalification
- Addenda
- Construction Contract Arrangements
- Documents which Form a Contract
- Contract Form Arrangement
- Hierarchy of Documents
- Changes and Extras
Learning Outcomes
- By the end of this course you will be able to:
- List the elements required to form a valid, enforceable construction contract
- Differentiate between the contract and the contract documents
- List and discuss common components of a tender call/invitation to tender
- Describe various tender/bid documents
- List eight common contract documents in order of their hierarchy with respect to common rules of interpretation
- Differentiate between changes, change orders and change directives
- Discuss how changes to the contract are interpreted legally
