The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is releasing thirteen new and updated Construction Management (CM) documents, including the Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) and the Construction Manager as Adviser (CMa) families. 

CMcs are brought on in the beginning of the preconstruction phase of a project to provide collaboration and input, which allows for greater efficiency from project inception. They also perform the construction. The AIA Documents Committee received input from representatives of major CMc firms to update the CMc documents.  Substantive changes that were made to the CMc documents include greater flexibility to establish the CMc’s preconstruction phase services, and a provision permitting the parties to agree on startup of some of the work before execution of the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) amendment.  A133 and A134 each have a new Insurance and Bonds Exhibit.  Additionally, a Sustainable Projects Exhibit, E234-2019, has been developed to incorporate the CMc into a sustainable project.

The AIA Documents Committee also met with industry representatives to obtain input for updating the Construction Manager as Adviser (CMa) documents.  In this model, the CMa provides preconstruction phase collaboration but the CMa does not provide the construction. Documents for this model are intended to be used on projects where more than one contractor is used, but can be used if there is only one contractor.  The CMa provides coordination of the contractors and other services in the construction phase. Revisions to these documents include expansion of the CMa’s scope to include more review and analysis, in addition to coordination and management.

One of the updated CMa documents is the Owner/Contractor agreement A132 with the new Insurance and Bonds Exhibit. A Sustainable Projects Exhibit, E235-2019, was also developed to incorporate the role of the CMa in both the preconstruction and construction phases of a sustainable project.

New CMc documents include the following:

A133–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Construction Manager as Constructor where the basis of payment is the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee with a Guaranteed Maximum Price

A134–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Construction Manager as Constructor where the basis of payment is the Cost of the Work Plus a Fee without a Guarantee Maximum Price

 B133–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect, Construction Manager as Constructor Edition

E234-2019, Sustainable Projects Exhibit, Construction Manager as Constructor Edition

New CMa documents include the following:

A132–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor, Construction Manager as Adviser Edition

A232–2019, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, Construction Manager as Adviser Edition

B132–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect, Construction Manager as Adviser Edition

C132–2019, Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Construction Manager as Adviser

E235-2019, Sustainable Projects Exhibit, Construction Manager as Adviser Edition

G731–2019, Change Order, Construction Manager-Adviser Edition

G733–2019, Construction Change Directive, Construction Manager-Adviser Edition

G734–2019, Certificate of Substantial Completion, Construction Manager-Adviser Edition

G733–2019, Construction Change Directive, Construction Manager-Adviser Edition


AIA will provide two free webinars to learn more about the key changes to each set of CM documents:

  • AIA 2019 Documents: Construction Manager as Constructor 
    3-4 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 | Register
  • Preview AIA 2019 Documents: Construction Manager as Adviser 
    3-4 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019 | Register

The revised 2019 CMc documents will be available on the AIA Contract Document’s website on Nov. 15. The CMa documents will be released on Feb. 6, 2020. AIA documents can be purchased with an unlimited-use annual license or as a single, customizable document. AIA contract documents are also available as single, non-editable documents and as paper versions through some AIA chapters. Visit aiacontracts.org for more information.