Supplemental Topic
Following the
Change Order Process
Contents
Introduction to Change Orders ..................................................................4
Who’s Involved in Change Orders? .......................................................4
What is the Change Order Process? .......................................................5
Change Order Process Timing ..............................................................8
The Importance of Timing ...............................................................8
The Change Order Process: Project Administration’s Steps ...................8
Initiating a Change ................................................................................8
Reasons for Change .........................................................................9
Verifying Need and Funding Availability .............................................9
Assessing the Level of Urgency ......................................................9
Processing Standard Change Orders ...................................................10
Preparing the Bulletin ....................................................................11
Reviewing the Contractor’s Proposal ............................................14
Reviewing Requests for Time Extension ..................................14
Responding to the Proposal ...........................................................15
Completing the Change Order Form..............................................15
Signing and Delivering the Change Order Form .....................19
Processing Change Orders Internally.............................................19
About the A-600 Form ..............................................................19
Completing the A-600 Form .....................................................20
Does Your Change Order Require an A-910? .........................23
Completing the A-910 Form ....................................................25
Assembling Change Order Documents for Processing ............29
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What Happens Next? Approval/Accounting Processes ...........................30
Steps in Capital Projects Reporting .....................................................30
Steps in Capital Finance.......................................................................31
A-600 Form ....................................................................................31
Change Order Form .......................................................................31
Supporting Documentation ............................................................31
Processing Emergency Change Orders .....................................................32
Completing the Emergency Field Work Order ....................................33
Processing Amendments .............................................................................35
Figures
1
Change Order Bulletin
2a
Blank Change Order Form
2b
Completed Change Order Form
3
A-600 Form
4
A-910 Form
5
Emergency Field Work Order (EFWO)
6
Amendment
Table
When Does a Change Order Require Approval Routing?
Chart
Change Order Process Flow
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Changes to Following the Change Order Process
Revision 1, June 2002
Changes made as part of this revision appear with a
Page
1
in the margin.
Description/Reason
23
Text change: Change Orders now require approval routing when the
cost of a Change Order on a contract exceeds $1.210 million, or if
the Change Order causes a threshold of $1.210 million to be crossed.
24
Table change: Throughout the table “When Does a Change Order
Require Approval Routing?”, examples were changed to reflect the
new $1.210 million approval amount.
30
Text change: Two items in the bulleted list were revised to reflect
the new approval amount.
June 2002
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Introduction to Change Orders
Changes to contractual agreements can become necessary at any time in the
life of a project. Between the signing of the original contract and the
completion of work, literally dozens of changes to a project’s scope of work,
schedule, and/or budget can be requested.
The University Architect Division has developed a process for managing
these project changes. When followed, the process helps balance the need
to keep project work moving forward against some equally important
internal needs:

The need to ensure that contract changes are properly and legally
approved

The need to keep account information up to date

The need to pay vendors promptly
This document presents the University Architect Division’s process for
managing Change Orders.
Who’s Involved in Change Orders?
The following areas are involved in processing change orders:
Project Administration initiates change orders and communicates with
vendors. Project Administration also initiates the processes that move a
Change Order through its internal approval and accounting steps.
For purposes of this document, the term “Project Administration”
encompasses the Project Administrator; the Associate Architect, if
applicable; the Senior Staff Engineer; support staff members; and others in
Construction Management, as applicable. The term “Architect” in this
document refers to either the Associate or the in-house Architect.
Capital Projects Reporting checks documentation on Change Orders that
require routing for contract approval. This documentation includes the
A-910 Form, Change Order documents, and supporting information.
Capital Finance checks Change Order documentation, determines whether
sufficient funds are available for the change, and updates the account
information in the College and University Financial System (CUFS) and
the Office of the Architect Shared Information System (OASIS).
University Purchasing ultimately authorizes the vendor to include the
Change Order in the vendor’s payment application.
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What Is the Change Order Process?
The following is an overview of all parties’ steps in the Change Order
Process (for non-emergency changes to Construction contracts):
1. When a change to contracted work is requested, the Project
Administrator or Associate Architect (as applicable) confirms that the
change is needed and that sufficient funding is available in the project
budget.
2. The Architect provides details about the change to the Construction
Contractor in a Bulletin or other appropriate means as determined by
the Project Administrator.
3. From the Bulletin, the Construction Contractor develops a proposal
(including cost) to complete the change work.
4. The Project Administrator and/or Architect review and respond to the
proposal, checking it for conformance to University pricing
requirements and conducting negotiations as necessary. (Due to the
nature of the additional work, or a lack of agreement on pricing, a “not
to exceed” Change Order shall be processed before work begins.)
5. Using the pricing in the Construction Contractor’s proposal, the
Architect (or Senior Staff Engineer [SSE], depending on contractual
responsibilities) prepares the Change Order Form. The Architect,
Project Administrator, Senior Staff Engineer, and Construction
Contractor sign the Change Order Form.
6. The Senior Staff Engineer oversees completion of the A-600 Form.
This form provides accounting personnel with the information they
need to enter the funding change into CUFS. Ultimately the A-600 will
be provided to the vendor as authorization to bill for the change work.
7. The Project Administrator determines whether the Change Order
requires contract approval and routing. If so, the Project Administrator
completes the A-910 form, which summarizes the contract change for
the individuals who will need to sign it.
8. The Project Administrator assembles the Change Order Form, the
A-600, the supporting documentation (such as the Contractor’s
proposal), and the A-910 form (if required), and submits them for
approval and quality-assurance steps.
9. If contract approval is required, Capital Projects Reporting checks the
Change Order paperwork for accuracy, and the package is routed for
signatures.
10. The Accountant checks the Change Order paperwork for accuracy,
enters the Change Order funding information into OASIS and CUFS,
and approves the A-600 Form.
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11. Capital Finance sends the A-600 form (and supporting documents) to
University Purchasing. Purchasing issues a copy of the A-600 to the
vendor as authorization to begin billing.
Note:
The above steps apply to “standard”, or non-emergency, changes to
Construction Contracts. Throughout this document, a standard Change
Order for Construction is used as an example.
In emergency cases, a shorter process can be followed so that urgently needed
work can begin immediately. See the section titled “Determining the
Level of Urgency” for information about emergency changes.
Changes to Architect/Engineer (A/E) agreements follow a similar process,
but the document that begins the process is called an Amendment rather
than a Change Order. Amendments are discussed later in this document
(see “Processing Amendments”).
The chart on the following page illustrates the Change Order Process.
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Change to
contracted w ork
is requested
Confirm change is
needed and funds
are available
Is this
change an
emergency?
Yes
Will this
change
cost more than
$10,000?
No
Complete
Emergency Field
Work Order
(EFWO) and
collect signatures
Complete
Change Order
Form and collect
signatures
Review Contractor
proposal and
negotiate price
if necessary
Complete A-600
Form
Complete A-910
Contract Approval
Form
Yes
Does change
require contract
approval?
Prepare Bulletin
for Construction
Contractor
Review Contractor
proposal and
negotiate price
if necessary
Complete Change
Order Form and
collect signatures
Complete A-600
Form
Does change
require contract
approval?
Yes
Complete A-910
Contract Approval
Form
No
No
Assemble
contract
documents
for processing
Yes
No
Assemble
Change Order
documents
for processing
Change Order Process Flow
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Change Order Process Timing
The Change Order Process can be completed in less than 14 days for
uncomplicated issues. In no case should it take more than 60 days.
The Importance of Timing
Timing is crucial to successful change order processing. Each step depends
on the step that precedes it, so each party must fulfill his or her
responsibilities as quickly as possible to prevent the process from
becoming stalled. Delays in change order processing can have serious
consequences, including:

Construction work beginning (or even being completed) before it has
been authorized by Project Administration and/or approved by the
University. This situation is in conflict with University and State
requirements and exposes the University to unnecessary risk.

Vendors submitting invoices before work has been approved. This
situation can create delays in paying vendors, which in turn can damage
the University’s relations with its vendors.

Internal accounting processes compromised because events have
happened “out of order”—i.e., invoices for Change Order work have
been presented before funds have been committed to the work.
Prompt completion of each step in the Change Order Process helps ensure
that changes are properly authorized and approved before work begins; that
vendors are paid promptly; and that accounting processes follow
established norms.
The Change Order Process:
Project Administration’s Steps
Initiating a Change
Depending on the reason, a change may be initiated by the Project
Administrator or by the Architect. Most changes are initiated by the
University, but in some circumstances an outside Architect might initiate a
change (for example, if the University Owner/Client communicates a
change request to the Architect without first discussing it with the Project
Administrator).
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Reasons for Change
Any of the following situations can necessitate a change or changes to a
project’s scope of work, schedule, and/or budget:

An Owner request. In this case, the project’s Owner/Client asks for a
change after the contract has been signed and/or after construction work
has begun.

An initial error or omission by the Architect. In this case, the change
is needed because the error or omission has rendered original
information incorrect or incomplete.

An unforeseen field condition that makes the change necessary.

A field dispute between the Construction Contractor and the University
and/or Architect. When such a dispute is resolved, a change may be
needed to satisfy the resolution.

Value engineering. In this case, the parties have identified and agreed
to an alternative way to do the work, at a lower cost.

Reconciliation. In this case, money remains in a completed Purchase
Order and needs to be deducted.
Verifying Need and Funding Availability
For each potential change, the Architect must confirm with the Project
Administrator that the request is valid and that currently available funding
will cover the estimated cost of the proposed change.
Available funds must be sufficient to cover both construction costs and any
additional costs for the Architect’s services (whether inside or outside
design services are used). A contract amendment must be processed for
changes to A/E agreements (see “Processing Amendments”).
Once the need and the availability of funds have been established, Project
Administration must determine whether the need for the change constitutes
an emergency.
Assessing the Level of Urgency
If a change is considered an “emergency,” most often because of an
unforeseen condition in the field, a variation of the usual Change Order
Process can be invoked to allow work to begin sooner. The determination
of emergency need is at the Project Administrator’s discretion and can be
an important option for preventing costly delays in construction. However,
most changes are not emergencies.
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Three variations of the Change Order Process can be used; the choice
depends on how urgently the change is needed. The table below shows
which variation to use, based on level of urgency and estimated cost of the
change:
Level of Urgency
Estimated Cost
of Change
Process Variation
Non-emergency
(most changes)
Any
Standard Change
Order
Emergency (i.e., the
change is needed to
address unforeseen
conditions)
More than $10,000
Emergency Change
Order
$10,000 or less
Emergency Field
Work Order
(EFWO)
The standard Change Order approach is preferred whenever project
conditions permit it. The sections that follow present the steps in the
standard approach. “Emergency” procedures are presented in the section
titled “Processing Emergency Change Orders”.
Processing Standard Change Orders
Project Administration’s steps in the standard Change Order process are as
follows:

Preparing the Bulletin;

Reviewing the Contractor’s proposal;

Responding to the proposal;

Completing the Change Order Form; and

Processing the Change Order internally (this step includes completing
the A-600 and A-910 forms as required and preparing the Change
Order documentation for internal checking and approvals).
Each step is explained in detail in the sections that follow.
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Preparing the Bulletin
After confirming with the Project Administrator that the change is needed
and funding is available, the Architect prepares the Bulletin. (The Project
Administrator is the University representative assigned to the project to
consult with the external architect, if one is used.) The Bulletin’s purpose
is to give the Contractor enough information about the proposed change to
develop a proposal and cost estimate. To that end, the Bulletin should
include the following elements:

A detailed scope of work describing the proposed change;

Drawings, if any, that illustrate the proposed change;

The Architect or Project Administrator’s preliminary estimate of the
cost to make the change, and the University’s preferred pricing basis
(fixed-price or time-and-materials) for the work;

The deadline by which the Contractor must respond to the Bulletin (10
working days); and

A cover letter that summarizes the information in the Bulletin and
provides justification for the change.
The University’s Change Order Procedure and Pricing Guidelines state
that Construction Contractors can be held responsible for costs that may
result from their late response to a Bulletin. The Bulletin should make this
point clear to the Contractor.
Figure 1 shows an example Bulletin. Some A/E firms working on
University projects have developed their own formats for Change Order
Bulletins. Alternative formats are acceptable as long as the Bulletin
provides the Contractor with enough information to respond in a timely
fashion with a proposal.
Note:
The cover letter should be used to remind the Contractor that the Bulletin is
not an authorization to proceed with construction work. The Change Order
Procedure and Pricing Guidelines provide that when Construction
Contractors undertake work without the required authorization, they
assume the risk that they might not be paid for such work.
After developing the Bulletin, the Architect next obtains the Project
Administrator’s approval of the Bulletin and cover letter and forwards them
to the Construction Contractor.
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Figure 1: Change Order Bulletin (Page One)
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Figure 1: Change Order Bulletin (Page Two)
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Reviewing the Contractor’s Proposal
When the Construction Contractor returns a proposal in response to a
Bulletin, the Architect reviews it to determine the following:

Did the Construction Contractor follow the University’s requested
pricing basis (either fixed-fee or time-and-materials) in estimating the
price to perform the work?

Does the Construction Contractor’s item-by-item pricing conform to
the limits established in the University’s Change Order Procedure and
Pricing Guidelines?

Is the Contractor’s total quoted price reasonable?
A “no” answer to any of these questions constitutes a reason to reject the
proposal. If the proposal is priced by the wrong method or does not
conform to the published guidelines, the Architect should ask the
Construction Contractor to correct the pricing errors and resubmit the
proposal. If the Contractor’s total price is deemed unreasonable, the
Architect and/or Project Administrator should initiate price negotiations
with the Contractor.
Note:
The University’s Change Order Pricing Guidelines are available to
Construction Contractors via the University Architect Division’s Web site
(www.uc.edu/architect/). In addition, a worksheet to assist with line-item
pricing of Change Orders is available in electronic format to Contractors
who request it.
Note:
When evaluating contracts and negotiating pricing, remember that the
Change Order Process must continue moving forward. To complete
Project Administration’s part in the process as quickly as possible, it is
important not to spend too much time on any single step.
Reviewing Requests for Time Extension
The Construction Contractor’s proposal may include a request for more
time to complete the added work. If the change is substantial, a request for
an extension may be entirely reasonable. However, because timing is an
element of the original contract, any change to the project schedule
constitutes a contract change that must be documented on a Change Order
Form.
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Note:
A Construction Contractor’s request for more time to complete the work
can come at any time in the Change Order Process. If the request is made
with the Contractor’s proposal, or at any time before the Architect/Project
Administrator has prepared the Change Order Form, the change in timing,
if approved by the Project Administrator, can be documented on the same
Change Order Form as the change in scope. However, it is also acceptable
to prepare a separate Change Order Form for the time extension.
Requests for time extension are subject to the criteria presented in
paragraph GC 7.4 of the Front-End Specifications.
Responding to the Proposal
As soon as possible after receiving the Construction Contractor’s proposal
for performing the change work, the Architect (with the Project
Administrator’s concurrence) must accept or reject the proposal and notify
the Construction Contractor of the decision. If the proposal is rejected, the
Architect must provide written explanation to the Contractor (even if price
negotiations with the Contractor are ongoing).
Completing the Change Order Form
Once the terms of the Construction Contractor’s proposal are acceptable to
the University, and assuming the Architect and Project Administrator still
agree that the change is needed, the Architect can complete the Change
Order Form. This document, once signed by all parties, can be given to the
Contractor as authorization to begin the change work.
As part of its normal processing, the completed Change Order Form will be
checked by the Capital Projects Reporting and/or Capital Finance
departments, as applicable. (See the section “What Happens Next?
Approval/Accounting Processes” for an explanation of these checks.)
A blank Change Order Form appears as Figure 2a; Figure 2b shows a
correctly completed Change Order Form (ready for signatures). To
complete the form, follow these steps:
1.
June 2002
If the change is an addition to the project scope of work, schedule,
and/or cost, check ADD. If the change is a deduction from the scope,
schedule, and or cost, check DEDUCT. (Deduct Change Orders
should be printed on goldenrod or yellow paper.)
Page 15
1
4
2
5
3
6
8
7
9
10
11
12
13
Figure 2a: Blank Change Order Form
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Figure 2b: Completed Change Order Form
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2.
Enter the University Purchase Order number in the UC Purchase
Order No. field.
3.
In the Change Order No. field, enter the number assigned to this
change order.
4.
If this Change Order provides an extension of the project schedule,
enter the total number of additional days in the Contract Days
Changed field. (For example, if the University agrees to the
Construction Contractor’s request to extend the schedule by 6 days,
enter 6).
If the Change Order does not provide for a schedule change, enter zero
or “no change” in this field.
5. If this Change Order includes an extension of the project schedule,
enter the new completion date in the Revised Completion Date field.
6. Enter the contract type (general, electrical, plumbing, etc.) in the Type
of Contract field.
7. Enter the project number and project name.
8. Under Check Reason for Change Order, check one of the listed
reasons. For a reason other than those shown, enter a brief description
in the Other field.
9. In the Contractor’s Proposal Dated field, enter the date of the
contractor’s approved proposal for completing the change work.
10. In the Total Cost field, enter the cost estimate from the Construction
Contractor’s approved proposal.
11. Under Description/Justification, enter a description of the scope and
reason for the change. Additional pages can be included as necessary.
12. Under CONTRACTOR’S ACCEPTANCE, enter the name and
address of the Construction Contractor firm.
13. Under ASSOCIATE’S RECOMMENDATION, enter the name and
address of the Associate Architect firm. (If the project uses an in-house
Architect, enter “NA”.)
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Signing and Delivering the Change Order Form
Once the Change Order Form has been completed, it must be signed by the
Construction Contractor; the Architect, if applicable; the University Senior
Staff Engineer; and the University Project Administrator.
Note:
If the Construction Contractor has furnished a signed proposal with a dollar
value of less than $5,000, the Construction Contractor’s signature is not
required.
Note:
If the project has a Construction Manager, his or her signature is required
as well. For a Change Order Form that includes a blank for the
Construction Manager’s signature, see the Staff Assistant.
When all parties have signed the Change Order Form, the Project
Administrator delivers the Change Order Form to the Construction
Contractor. The Contractor can begin the work upon receiving the signed
form.
Note:
The Change Order Form does not constitute the contractor’s authorization
to begin billing for the Change Order work. Billing can begin only after
the contractor has received a valid A-600 Form from University
Purchasing.
Note:
For Change Orders priced on the time-and-materials basis (“Not to
Exceed” price), the Senior Staff Engineer or Architect must monitor the
work and sign daily time tickets.
Processing Change Orders Internally
As soon as a Change Order has been signed by all parties, Project
Administration must initiate additional paperwork for processing the
change within the University Architect Division and University Purchasing.
The first such item is the A-600 Form.
About the A-600 Form
University Purchasing requires that an A-600 Form be completed for a
Change Order or group of related Change Orders. A support staff member
completes the A-600 Form at the direction of the project’s Senior Staff
Engineer.
The A-600 Form differs from the Change Order Form in that the A-600
provides Capital Finance with the accounting detail they need to enter the
necessary changes into the College and University Financial System
(CUFS). Like the Change Order Form, the A-600 will be checked by
Capital Projects Reporting and/or Capital Finance for accuracy. Capital
June 2002
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Finance posts the funding changes, and the Capital Finance Director
approves the form before sending it to Purchasing.
After processing the A-600 Form, Purchasing will send a copy to the
Contractor; this copy is the Contractor’s notification that the Change Order
may now be included in the Contractor’s payment application.
Timing Considerations
Again, prompt completion of the A-600 Form is critical to keeping Change
Order processing on track. If the Contractor begins sending invoices
before the A-600 Form has been approved, the Contractor may have to be
paid from unencumbered funds. If this happens, University Purchasing
advises the Contractor that the services invoiced were “unauthorized” and
that future invoices must be presented against a valid purchase order
number. This situation can damage vendor relations and cause qualified
vendors to avoid doing business with the University.
In most circumstances, internal processing of an A-600 will not take
longer than 10 business days. As long as the form is completed and
submitted immediately, it can be approved and sent to the Contractor
well before the Contractor begins invoicing.
The following section presents the steps for completing the A-600 Form.
Completing the A-600 Form
A blank A-600 Form appears on the following page as Figure 3. To
complete an A-600 Form for a Change Order, follow these steps:
Note:
The A-600 Form must be typed or neatly printed.
1. In the DATE field, enter the current date.
2. In the DEPT. NAME field, enter “Construction Management”.
3. In the DEPT. CONTACT field, enter the name of the project’s Senior
Staff Engineer.
4. In the PHONE field, enter the Senior Staff Engineer’s University
extension.
5. In the blocks provided for MAIL LOCATION/DELIVERY POINT,
enter the mail location from the original requisition (RX).
6. In the VENDOR CODE field, enter the code assigned to the project’s
Construction Contractor. This code can be found on the original RX.
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2
1
4
3
5
6
8
7
9
10
12
11
12
13
Figure 3: A-600 Form
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7. Enter the Construction Contractor firm’s name, address, city, state, and
zip code in the address fields provided.
8. In the box on the right side of the form, enter the project’s purchase
order number in the Purchase Order (PC) Number field.
Note:
Use the Term Contract Number side of this box to process a Change
Order for a Term Contract (an agreement with an approved vendor ) if it is
not governed by a Purchase Order.
9. Below the purchase order number, check the box next to the type of
change you are making. (For cancellations, enter dollar amounts on the
lines indicated.)
Note:
For the Change Order example used throughout this document—i.e., an
addition that affects budget—check Add funds shown below.
10. If the Construction Contractor will need to bill for the change order
work, check the box next to THIS CHANGE AFFECTS ABOVE
VENDOR, SEND COPY. (If the Contractor does not need to receive
the A-600 Form for billing purposes, check the box next to DO NOT
SEND COPY TO VENDOR.)
11. Under ACCOUNT DISTRIBUTION LINE CHANGES, enter the
accounting data (i.e., FUND, AREA, ORGN, FUNC [when
applicable], OBJECT, and SUB OBJ) found on the original RX for
the project.
12. Enter the dollar amount of the change in the TOTAL INCREASE or
TOTAL DECREASE field, as appropriate.
13. In the COMMENTS area, enter the following information:
Note:

The project number and name,

The reason for the change, and

The Change Order number or numbers covered by this A-600 (from
the Change Order Form or Forms).
The Project Administrator should not sign the AUTHORIZED
DEPARTMENT SIGNATURE or APPROVAL OF SENIOR BUYER
lines. These will be signed by the Accountant and by University
Purchasing, respectively, as the form is processed.
When the A-600 Form is complete, the next step is to determine whether
the change is subject to approval routing.
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Does Your Change Order Require an A-910
Contract Approval Form and Approval Routing?
Some, but not all, Change Orders must be routed for approval signatures as
required by University policy. If approval routing is required, the Change
Order Form and A-600 Form must be accompanied by the A-910 Contract
Approval Form, which the Project Administrator completes.
A-910 Thresholds
Whether approval routing is required depends on two factors: the dollar
amount of the individual change, and the total dollar amount of the entire
construction contract after the change is added. The first time either
amount exceeds $1.210 million, approval routing is required.
When determining whether a Change Order requires approval routing,
Project Administration must be aware not only of the individual Change
Order amount, but also of the running total for the construction contract as
a whole (including all change orders).
The table on the next page shows the points where approval routing would
be required on an example construction contract for $900,000 and several
successive change orders.
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1
When Does a Change Order Require Approval Routing?
Contract/
Change Examples
Running
Contract Total
Approval
Routing
Needed?
Reason
Original Construction
Contract: $900,000
$900,000
Yes
All original “bid” contracts
require approval routing
Change Order 1:
$75,000
$975,000
No
Neither the change order nor
the contract total exceeds the
threshold.
Change Order 2:
$250,000
$1,225,000
Yes
With this Change Order, the
running contract total has
exceeded the $1.210 million
threshold.
Change Order 3:
$250,000
$1,475,000
No
The Change Order amount
does not exceed the threshold.
The running contract total
does, but the required
approval routing occurred
with Change Order 2.
Change Order 4:
$1,250,000
$2,725,000
Yes
The individual change order
exceeds the $1.210 million
threshold.
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1
Completing the A-910 Form
A blank A-910 Form appears as Figure 4. If the Change Order requires
approval routing, follow these steps to complete the A-910 Form for a
Change Order:
1A.In the Date of Initiation field, enter the current date.
1. In the Initiating Department field, enter the Project Administrator’s
department within the University Architect Division.
2. Enter the Project Administrator’s name and telephone number.
3.
If the change requires the University to pay the vendor, check the box
next to yes and enter the appropriate account number. Otherwise,
check no.
4. Under Is this Contract Sponsored?, check the box next to yes or no,
as appropriate.
Note:
A sponsored contract is one that will be directly funded by an individual or
party other than the University.
5.
Under Description of Contract, complete fields A–K as follows:
A. Enter the name of the Contractor.
B. Enter the project number and name, and the type of contract (i.e.,
general, electrical, design, etc.).
C. Skip this item.
D. Check Modification of existing Contract. In the blank lines
provided, enter the page numbers and paragraph numbers from the
original contract that will be altered by the Change Order.
E. Enter the total financial terms (original contract amount, previous
Change Order amount, this Change Order amount = total revised
contract amount).
F. Enter the beginning and ending month and year for the Change
Order work (for example, April 2001 through May 2001). The
ending date should include any approved time extension.
G. Leave this item blank.
H. Leave this item blank; the Accountant will complete.
I. Leave this item blank; the Accountant will complete.
J. Leave this item blank; the Accountant will complete.
K. Check yes and provide the RX number or Purchase Order number.
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S:\Shareall\Forms\CM\A-910.xls
Figure 4: A-910 Form (page 1)
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Figure 4: A-910 Form (page 2)
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Figure 4: A-910 Form (page 3)
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6. Skip this question for Change Orders.
7. Skip this question.
8. Under Approvals, the Project Administrator must sign and date the
first line as Principal Investigator or Individual Responsible for
Agreement.
The next section describes how to assemble the completed A-910 Form and
other Change Order documentation for quality-assurance, routing, and
approval steps.
Assembling Change Order Documents for Processing
For Change Orders that require approval routing and an A-910 Form,
assemble the following:

One original and three copies of the signed Change Order Form. The
three copies will be distributed by the Project Administrator (one copy
goes to the Contractor; one goes to the A/E firm, if applicable; and one
is kept for the project file)

The completed A-600 Form

A copy of the Contractor’s proposal for completing the Change Order
work

The completed A-910 Form (with Project Administrator’s signature
under Approvals)
Give these documents to the Assistant to the Director of Construction
Management. The Assistant enters information about the Change Order
into a database that identifies the correct signature routing path for the
Change Order package. The package is then assembled into a folder with a
cover sheet attached to the front for routing. It goes first to Capital Projects
Reporting for quality-assurance checking, and then to the individuals
whose signatures are required. Once signed, it goes to Capital Finance for
posting and approval of the A-600, and then to University Purchasing,
which issues the A-600 to the Contractor.
For Change Orders that do not require approval routing, assemble the
following:
June 2002

One original and three copies of the signed Change Order Form. The
three copies will be distributed by the Project Administrator (one copy
goes to the Contractor; one goes to the A/E firm, if applicable; and one
is kept for the project file)

The completed A-600 Form

A copy of the Contractor’s proposal for completing the Change Order
work
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Give these documents to the Capital Finance Accountant. In Capital
Finance, the package is checked for quality assurance. The A-600 account
information is posted and the Capital Finance Director approves the A-600.
From there, the package goes to University Purchasing.
What Happens Next?
Approval/Accounting Processes
Steps in Capital Projects Reporting
A Change Order package that requires approval routing and an A-910 Form
goes to the Capital Projects Reporting department before being routed for
signatures. When checking the package, Capital Projects Reporting makes
certain that:

One original Change Order Form is included

The dollar amount of the Change Order or contract total exceeds the
threshold that requires approval (i.e., that the A-910 form and routing
are actually required)

The project number and description on the cover sheet match the
information in the Office of the Architect Shared Information System
(OASIS) database

A copy of the University Board of Trustees’ approval of the original
contract is included if required (for a contract total or Change Order
exceeding $1.210 million)

All required fields on the A-600 Form are complete

Contract information on the A-600 Form matches that found in the
College and University Financial System (CUFS)

Enough funds are available (as shown in CUFS) to cover the amount of
the Change Order
After performing these checks, Capital Projects Reporting personnel initial
the A-910 Form on the signature page to indicate that they have reviewed
the package. The package then follows the signature routing path shown
on the cover sheet. When all signatures have been collected, the package
goes to Capital Finance for posting and approval of the A-600 Form.
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Steps in Capital Finance
Capital Finance reviews all Change Order packages, regardless of whether
the package requires approval routing. All Change Order packages must
include an A-600 Form, which provides Capital Finance with the
information needed to enter financial information about the Change Order
into CUFS. The Capital Finance Director approves the A-600 Form.
When checking a Change Order Package, Capital Finance makes certain of
the following:
A-600 Form

The Purchase Order number referenced on the Change Order Form and
the A-600 Form is still open in CUFS, and that account numbers match
in all places

The accounting line shown on the A-600 matches that in CUFS

Enough funds are available (as shown in CUFS) to cover the amount of
the Change Order

The project name, number, and description appear on the A-600 Form

The vendor name on the A-600 Form corresponds to the Purchase
Order number provided
Change Order Form

Note:
All required signatures are present (Contractor, Architect, Senior Staff
Engineer, and Project Administrator signatures are required;
Construction Manager’s signature may be required)
If the Construction Contractor has furnished a signed proposal with a dollar
value of less than $5,000, the Construction Contractor’s signature is not
required.

The UC Purchase Order number is provided

The total cost and description of the change are provided
Supporting Documentation

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The Contractor’s proposal to complete the Change Order work is not
more than 60 days old (pricing information older than 60 days cannot
be considered valid unless the Change Order includes documentation
for time and materials)
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
There is no evidence that work has already been completed (unless the
change is processed as an Emergency Field Work Order [EFWO] or a
“not-to-exceed” Change Order)
After checking all the points listed above, the accountant determines the
funding source for the change (State, local, or combination) by checking
the OASIS database. The Accountant then posts the Change Order (the
exact posting procedure is dictated by the funding type).
When the package has been checked and the account information has been
posted, the Accountant approves the A-600 Form and forwards it, the
supporting documentation (Contractor’s proposal), and the Change Order
to University Purchasing for processing. University Purchasing ultimately
issues a copy of the A-600 to the Contractor as authorization to submit
invoices for the Change Order work.
Processing Emergency Change Orders
At the Project Administrator’s discretion, a Change Order can go forward
as an “emergency” to prevent delays in construction work. The emergency
Change Order procedure is designed to allow a quick response when
unforeseen field conditions threaten project progress.
When a change is considered an emergency, a Bulletin need not be issued
to the Contractor. Instead, the Project Administrator or Architect
communicates the change to the Contractor on a Change Order Form or
Emergency Field Work Order (depending on estimated cost of the change).
Once all parties have signed the change document, the Contractor can
proceed with the emergency work. The Contractor’s cost proposal can be
returned up to 14 days after the emergency work begins. Internal
processing of the emergency Change Order follows the same steps as for a
standard Change Order. As with standard Change Orders, the
Contractor must receive the A-600 Form from University Purchasing
before billing for the emergency Change Order work.
The steps involved in the Emergency Change Order Process are as follows:
1. The Project Administrator or Associate Architect (as applicable)
confirms that the change is an emergency and that sufficient funding is
available in the project budget.
2. If the change is expected to cost $10,000 or less, the Project
Administrator or Architect prepares an Emergency Field Work Order
(EFWO; see Figure 5 for example). If the cost is expected to exceed
$10,000, the Project Administrator or Architect prepares a Change
Order Form (see the section “Completing the Change Order Form”).
3. The Contractor, Architect (if applicable), and Project Administrator
sign the EFWO or Change Order Form. The Contractor begins the
emergency Change Order work.
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4. Not more than 14 days after signing the EFWO or Change Order Form,
the Contractor submits a cost proposal for completing the emergency
Change Order work.
5. The Project Administrator and/or Architect review and respond to the
proposal, checking it for conformance to University pricing
requirements and conducting negotiations as necessary.
6. The Project Administrator or Architect prepares an A-600 Form and an
A-910 Form (if necessary) and assembles all documentation required
for internal approval and processing, as described in “Processing
Standard Change Orders”.
Completing the Emergency Field Work Order
The Emergency Field Work Order appears on the following page as Figure
5. Follow these steps to complete the EFWO:
1. In the FIELD WORK ORDER No. field, enter the change order
number.
2. In the DATE field, enter the current date.
3. In the To Contractor field, enter the name and complete address of the
Construction Contractor.
4. Under Reason for Change Order, check either Error/Omission or
Field Condition, as applicable.
5. In the Project No. field, enter the project number.
6. In the Project Name field, enter the project name.
7. Under You are authorized to proceed with the following work,
enter a complete description of the needed emergency change work.
8. In the JUSTIFICATION field, explain why the change is needed and
why the situation constitutes an emergency.
9. Enter the Architect or Project Administrator’s estimate of the cost to
make this change in either the Fixed Price or the Not to Exceed
Estimate field, depending on the University’s preferred pricing method
for the work.
Once completed, the EFWO must be signed by the Project Administrator,
the Associate Architect (if applicable), and the Construction Contractor.
The form can then be given to the Contractor as authorization to begin
work.
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Figure 5: Emergency Field Work Order (EFWO)
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Processing Amendments
Changes to the University’s agreement with an outside Architect/Engineer
(A/E) are processed similarly to Construction contract changes. Changes to
A/E agreements are documented on the Amendment Form (Figure 6) rather
than the Change Order Form.
When the University requests an Amendment, the A/E firm must submit a
cost proposal for the proposed work.
Amendments require completion of both the A-600 Form and the A-910
Form in all cases. All Amendments must be accompanied by an A-910 for
approval.
A blank Amendment appears on the following page as Figure 6. To
complete an Amendment, follow these steps:
1. Enter the number for this amendment.
2. Enter the date of the executed contract.
3. Enter the name of the Associate Architect firm.
4. Enter the project number and name.
5. Enter a complete description of the services the Architect will perform
to complete the change.
6. Enter the amount of the proposed change.
7. Re-enter the change amount in dollars and cents.
8. Enter the amount of the original contract.
9. Enter the total of any previous amendments.
10. Enter the amount of the change introduced by this Amendment.
11. Add items 8, 9, and 10 and enter the result next to Total Current
Contract Amount.
12. Leave this field blank.
Once the Amendment is complete, it must be signed by an authorized
representative of the Associate Architect firm. The Project Administrator
must then complete the A-600 and A-910 forms and submit them for
processing and approval, along with the Amendment and the A/E firm’s
cost proposal.
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Figure 6: Amendment
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