LAS VEGAS – The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) today announced its approval of the addition of a groundbreaking contract document – the Building Information Modeling (BIM) Addendum – to the ConsensusDOCS catalog. The ConsensusDOCS BIM Addendum is the first and only industry standard document to globally address the legal uncertainties associated with using BIM. The 21 leading associations representing owners, contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and designers that are actively supporting ConsensusDOCS have endorsed or are anticipated to endorse this consensus standard document.
"ConsensusDOCS are fair and innovative contract documents that add value to our members' bottom line and move the industry forward," said AGC's Chief Executive Officer Stephen E. Sandherr at AGC's 89th Annual Convention in Las Vegas. "The BIM Addendum further establishes ConsensusDOCS' reputation as a leader in innovative construction contracts."
The ConsensusDOCS BIM Addendum will be published in the first half of 2008 as part of the ConsensusDOCS comprehensive catalog of contracts and forms, which address all project delivery methods. The BIM Addendum provides a tool to utilize BIM from start to finish, thereby allowing contractors to more closely integrate project delivery with owners and design professionals. It is also flexible enough to be used as an addendum in more traditional contracting methods. The BIM Addendum has received extensive comment from the design professional community through the AGC BIMForum, a conglomeration of leaders throughout the AEC (architectural, engineering and construction) industry who have joined forces to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of BIM.
BIM is the process of generating and managing a building information model through the use of three–dimensional, intelligent design information. Technology improvements and integration fostered by expanded use of BIM are dramatically increasing efficiency in the industry.
"The BIM Addendum will address the absence of a standard contract document and help guide construction professionals through the maze of new legal concerns raised by implementing new technology that has been an obstacle to embracing BIM," said Sandherr.
On September 28, 2007, AGC, in conjunction with 20 other construction associations representing designers, owners, contractors, subcontractors and sureties launched more than 70 collaboratively drafted construction contracts, called ConsensusDOCS. The release represented the first time that broad industry representation has had an equal voice in collaboratively drafting construction contracts. The unprecedented buy–in for these contracts reflects a genuine effort to identify and employ best practices to better the industry.
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) is the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States. AGC represents 33,000 firms, including 7,500 of America's leading general contractors and 12,500 specialty–contracting firms. More than 13,000 service providers and suppliers are associated with AGC through a nationwide network of chapters. Visit the AGC Web site at www.agc.org. AGC members are "Building Your Quality of Life."
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