The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced that they will be launching two types of Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) Agreements on May 15th at the AIA National Convention.  Implementing principles and concepts that were laid out in Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide (The Guide; www.aiacontractdocuments.org), the new IPD contracts will provide two levels of design and construction integration. The first type is transitional, and, as such, may be a comfortable first step into integrated project delivery. The second type introduces a fully integrated way of delivering a construction project.
 
The IPD Agreements support processes that build upon the expertise of architects, owners and contractors and rely on transparency and full collaboration. The more transitional agreement being released by the AIA is intended as a comfortable first step into IPD, providing for early collaboration of architect and contractor in an arrangement modeled after existing construction manager agreements. The second type of agreement allows for complete sharing of risk and reward in a "one-for-all-and-all-for-one" approach. With this type of agreement, owner, architect and construction manager work together from the beginning to design and construct the project with mutually agreed upon cost goals and target cost.  Both types encourage the parties to implement Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other technologies to achieve efficiencies, increase collaboration and maximize sharing.
 
"These agreements provide a clear set of guiding principles to use while implementing a new project delivery method," says Suzanne Harness, managing director and counsel, AIA Contract Documents, American Institute of Architects.  "We are excited to introduce these agreements to help the industry implement the business model and objectives we laid out in The Guide."
 
To support the introduction of the IPD Agreements and provide further instruction on their usage, the AIA will host a session at the AIA National Convention and Design Exposition on May 17th.  For more information or to register for the AIA National Convention and Design Exposition, please visit www.aiaconvention.com.