Change Orders (CO)

Checklist

I. Analysis

Any party to the contract is the audience for the change order and may include:

• • Owner/Agent (if to Contractor)

  • Design Team (if contractually obligated to interpret, approve, and sign)

  • Contractor (if to Owner)

  • Contractor supplier/subcontractors (if to Contractor)

  • Finance (to monitor job cost)

II. Evaluation

Change orders are not the place for flowery prose - stick to the cold, hard facts.

• • Describe change clearly, concisely and correctly, or list/summarize prior approved Const Change Directives (CCD's) that each contain this description (and thus need not be repeated except by reference).

  • Incorporate documentation if required, citing time/cost/quality issues

  • If necessary and not covered elsewhere, document the "where/when" issues around the change

  • If change is categorized as to source, identify the source of the change, i.e., Owner directed, Omission on Agency Directive, etc.

  • Accurate numerical inputs on the contract sum adjustments.

  • Impact the change has on the schedule, if any.

Format

• • • Contractual, form-based change order formats are nearly universal providing for a description, time, cost and contract sum adjustment. However, less formal change orders will all likely have the same basic communication needs, but could be simply incorporated into a letter or email, and is certainly acceptable for small, less complex projects, or where only one or a handful of changes are anticipated. However, the contract sum must still be monitored and adjusted, and this method does not always assure that will happen for the convenience for the Owner. (See sample form.)

Appearance

• • When following the change order form, appearance is set by the form. When incorporating in a letter or email, keep it simple and clear, following the appearance best practices for those formats.