FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2020
EJCDC Announces Release of EJCDC® E 520, Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Engineer for Professional Services, 2020 Edition
Alexandria, VA – EJCDC is pleased to announce the release of the EJCDC® E‑520, Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Engineer for Professional Services, 2020 Edition. This document maintains its compact and functional form while incorporating relevant updates consistent with the content of EJCDC® E‑500, Agreement Between Owner and Engineer for Professional Services, 2020 Edition, EJCDC’s flagship longform professional services agreement.
As with other recently published EJCDC standard documents, the new Short Form is prefaced by an introductory “Guidelines for Use” section. This section is especially significant in the Short Form because it contains detailed guidance regarding whether the Short Form is appropriate for use on the specific project under consideration. This suitability question is frequently asked, and arriving at the correct answer is important—in many cases a more comprehensive contract form, such as E‑500, may be better suited to the project. The new detailed Guidelines for Use include an examination of project characteristics that make the use of the Short Form suitable; a list of examples of typical uses of the Short Form; and a table showing the substantial differences between the Short Form and E‑500.
E‑520 2020 has been re-organized by sections to more closely parallel the order of presentation used in E‑500 2020. This change makes the Short Form more user-friendly for those who are more accustomed to working with E‑500. It also assists users who want to directly compare the two documents to determine which is most appropriate for the specific project, and allows for easier supplementation of E‑520 with select provisions from E‑500, when such customization is deemed appropriate.
Other features of E‑520 2020:
- Adds more substance regarding Owner’s responsibilities
- Clarifies Engineer’s rights in response to non-payment by Owner
- Adds a standard provision for reimbursable expenses
- Updates the Termination section to match recent clarifications in E‑500
- Updates definitions and terminology to follow E‑500 and the EJCDC Construction Series
- Uses standardized 2020 EJCDC format for signature blocks
The EJCDC® E-520 is currently available for purchase in the online store at EJCDC.org. Members of EJCDC’s sponsoring organizations (the American Council of Engineering Companies, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers – Construction Institute) can also purchase this document directly from those organizations starting today at a 50% discount.
Over the last 50 years, Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC®) has developed and updated fair and objective standard documents specifically written for infrastructure projects in the United States. Each EJCDC® Contract Document is systematically prepared, reviewed and analyzed by committees of experienced engineering design and construction professionals, owners, contractors, professional liability and risk management experts, with the participation and advice of legal counsel.
For more information, please contact info@ejcdc.org or (571) 396-5495.
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