Hi Saxon,
I recently started my own small business after being laid off from a firm I'd worked at over 23 years. It's been an adjustment to say the least. I recently completed a project as a subcontractor to a large engineering/construction management firm. They had never used AIA documents, since their architectural staff is small and had not done much other than preliminary studies and planning. We did the project as a design/build, with this engineering firm as the prime, and both my firm and the Contractor as subs. They did not use an AIA document for their contract with my firm - they had a standard sub-contract form, and I had my insurance broker review it prior to signing. It spelled out what the deliverables were, who was responsible for what, and what the compensation was and time lines for deliverables and payment.
If the structural engineering firm is the prime contractor, shouldn't the contract come from them? You might run it by your insurance broker - mine has been very helpful in that regard. Good luck!
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Lynda Mong AIA
Manager/Architect
ArchiTemp, PLLC
Kennewick WA
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