Risk Management Articles
Ensuring a Good Prime/Subconsultant Relationship
In today’s more complex project world, it is common to have teams of companies working together on a design project. Sometimes these teams take the form of a joint venture with shared risk and responsibility among two or more design firms. The other – and perhaps more common – form is to have a prime consultant and one or more subconsultants employed by them on the project.
An Unfair Duty to Defend
By Samuel Greengard. This article originally appeared in Engineering, Inc., July/August 2013 No engineering project is without risk. Somewhere between the goal of designing the best bridge, building or water treatment facility and running a profitable business lurks...
Cancellation Notice Provision
A/E firms are constantly being asked to provide 30 days notice of cancellation in their contracts with their clients. Typical contract language is as follows: “All policies for insurance must be endorsed to contain a provision giving the Owner at least thirty (30)...
Building Information Modeling is the Wave of the Future
“To boldly go where no man has gone before.” Such was the mission of the Starship Enterprise and its crew in the hit sci-fi TV series Star Trek. And such is the mission of the design technique known as Building Information Modeling (BIM). Building Information Modeling...
How to Get a Design Professional to Work For Free!
Now that we have grabbed your undivided attention, the purpose of this article is to alert Design Professionals to an alarming trend. This trend involves the inclusion of contract provisions in agreements prepared by Owners/Developers and their attorneys that force a Design Professional to work for free in the event that the Owner/ Developer unilaterally determines that there is a “dispute.”
Document Retention and Disposition
Document control is a cornerstone of a design firm’s overall quality control program. This essential preventive measure aims to ensure that: Only approved, current documents, specifications and standards are used throughout the organization. Proper documentation of...
Apartments Rising – Condo Caution
One of the growth segments in the construction industry today is apartments. Apartment projects across the country are rising and are expected to continue through 2014. Particularly in hot markets including Washington, D.C, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta....
Typical Insurance Coverage for a Design Firm
In an effort to demystify some of the concepts and to provide a ready reference a/e ProNet put together this insurance manual. This is not intended to be an exhaustive source of information but rather a primer designed to answer basic questions and to put the reader...
A Fee Dispute: What To Do?
By Reno Caldwell and Michael Weibel. How simple was the process of projecting the firm's revenue for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008? Most firms simply increased their prior year's revenue by 20%. As we all know, much has changed in the economy and revenue forecasting...
Insurance Tips for Rental Vehicles
When traveling on business and renting a car you are given a choice to purchase or reject insurance offered by the rental car company. The most common of these coverages include Loss Damage Waiver, Supplemental Liability Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance and...