This message has been cross posted to the following Discussion Forums: Practice Management Member Conversations and Committee of Corporate Architects and Facility Management .
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The question about charging other architecture firms for electronic data is a question for your professional liability provider if you do not charge but do it with an electronic transfer agreement does it protect you from liability of them using that data? The AIA has developed electronic transfer agreement contract language for transferring electronic data, so it may be helpful. I do not know of any architecture firm that has charged to provide documents to other architecture firms or even owners for renovations or expansions; even before they became electronic.
But that is an interesting subject because I do know of a major construction firm that requested electronic documents from the architect and the architect used such an electronic transfer agreement. The CM got the electronic BIM and 2D electronic documents at no extra cost to them or the owner but then got paid around $450,000 as part of their CM contract with the owner to develop an as-built construction BIM.
But, that construction BIM was for an entire $350,000,000 hospital construction project. The CM also, by subcontract, required all their major subs to provide them BIM ready electronic coordination field installation shop drawings to incorporate into the CM's main architecture and structural construction BIM. The CM then used NW software plus GoTo meetings to coordinate and find conflicts before building in the field and coordinated with the architect/engineer to maintain the architect's overall intent through all phases of construction.
Who do you think picked up the tab for all the BIM Architect / Engineer / CM / Subcontractor electronic data transfer of information and who do you think owns it after construction? In the end it is what you feel makes good business sense for your firm and for future work with whoever is asking for the electronic transfer of data. So, establish an electronic transfer agreement standard in your owner/architect or owner/contractor contracts from the beginning.
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William A. Burmeister AIA, SPM
Program Management Consultant
St. Louis MO
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