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Design Changes Proposal

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DESIGN CHANGES PROPOSAL

Proposal Number:   Date Issued:

Parties

Recitals

WHEREAS, Client and Designer previously entered into a written design agreement identified as the primary design contract for the project named ; and

WHEREAS, Client requests modifications to the scope of design services and Designer has prepared this proposal setting forth the nature, cost, schedule impact, and terms for such design changes; and

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the parties agree to the terms of this Design Changes Proposal as set forth below.

Scope of Work

Deliverables to be provided by Designer:

Itemized Change Summary

Payment Terms

Client shall pay Designer the Total Estimated Additional Cost as follows:

All invoices issued under this Proposal are due according to the Payment Schedule above. Client shall not withhold payment for any dispute that does not affect the disputed portion; the parties shall attempt to resolve disputes promptly and in good faith.

Term and Termination

This Proposal becomes effective on Commencement Date: and is anticipated to be completed by Completion Date: .

Either party may terminate this Proposal for material breach by the other party after providing written notice and a cure period of days. Termination shall not relieve Client of the obligation to pay for work performed and accepted prior to termination.

Confidentiality

For purposes of this Proposal, "Confidential Information" means nonpublic information disclosed by one party to the other that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential. Each party shall (a) use Confidential Information solely for performance under this Proposal; (b) protect Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses to protect its own confidential information, but no less than reasonable care; and (c) not disclose Confidential Information to third parties except to its employees, agents or contractors with a need to know who are bound by confidentiality obligations at least as protective as those herein.

Confidential Information does not include information that is: (i) publicly known through no fault of the recipient; (ii) already known by recipient at time of disclosure without an obligation of confidentiality; (iii) rightfully received from a third party without breach; or (iv) independently developed by recipient. Upon termination or written request, recipient shall promptly return or destroy Confidential Information and certify such return or destruction in writing.

The obligations in this Section shall survive termination of this Proposal for a period of three (3) years, except for trade secrets which shall be protected for so long as they remain trade secrets under applicable law.

Governing Law

This Proposal shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflicts of law principles. The parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in that state for disputes arising under this Proposal.

Representations; Liability

Each party represents that it has the authority to enter into this Proposal and perform its obligations. Designer warrants that services will be performed in a professional manner consistent with industry standards. Except for willful misconduct or gross negligence, Designer's aggregate liability for claims arising out of this Proposal shall be limited to direct damages not to exceed the Total Estimated Additional Cost paid under this Proposal. In no event shall either party be liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages.

Entire Agreement

This Proposal, together with any referenced exhibits and the primary design agreement to the extent expressly amended herein, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the design changes described and supersedes all prior negotiations, proposals, and understandings, whether written or oral, relating to those changes. Any amendment must be in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Acceptance

By signing below, Client and Designer each acknowledge that they have read, understand, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Design Changes Proposal and authorize Designer to proceed with the work described herein upon receipt of any required initial payment described above.

Client Name:

By:

Date:

Designer Name:

By:

Date:

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What a Design Changes Proposal Is

A Design Changes Proposal is a formal written request that documents proposed modifications to an existing design, plan, or deliverable. It typically identifies the change description, reasons, technical impact, cost estimate, schedule adjustment, and any required approvals or contingencies. Organizations use it to capture mutual agreement before work begins, to limit scope creep, and to create an auditable record for billing and compliance. In the United States such proposals can be executed electronically when they meet the ESIGN Act and applicable UETA provisions for intent, consent, attribution, and record retention.

Why a Formal Proposal Matters

Use a Design Changes Proposal to formalize approvals, document scope and cost impacts, and set implementation timelines. It provides legal clarity for contracts, minimizes disputes, and creates a traceable record useful for billing, audits, and compliance with contract terms.

Why a Formal Proposal Matters

Who Typically Prepares and Reviews These Proposals

Typical users include project managers, design leads, contractors, procurement teams, and client representatives involved in change control.

  • Project managers coordinating scope, budget, and schedule adjustments across stakeholders.
  • Design leads detailing technical impact and alternative solutions for proposed changes.
  • Contractors or vendors estimating costs, material needs, and timeline changes for approvals.

Each stakeholder uses the proposal to confirm responsibilities, approve budgets, and document acceptance before work proceeds to reduce disputes and rework.

Essential Sections to Include in a Professional Proposal

A complete Design Changes Proposal organizes change rationale, technical impact, cost, schedule, approvals, and signature blocks for clear decision-making across teams.

Change Description

Provide a concise summary of the proposed modification, including affected deliverables, technical specifications, and the reason for change. Reference original drawing or section numbers where applicable to avoid ambiguity.

Scope Impact

Detail tasks added, removed, or altered, and identify interfaces with existing scope. Specify whether change is additive or substitutive and list any deliverables that will be modified or retired.

Cost Estimate

Present itemized labor, materials, and equipment costs; include assumptions, contingency, pricing basis, and billing terms. State whether the estimate is not-to-exceed, firm fixed price, or time-and-materials.

Schedule Adjustment

Provide revised milestones, critical-path impacts, and days or dates affected. Note any acceleration or sequencing changes required to limit cascading delays and specify responsibility for schedule mitigation.

Approvals Required

List roles and organizations required to approve the change, required documentation for each approver, and any delegated authority limits or escalation paths for unresolved approvals.

Signatures

Include signature blocks, printed names, titles, dates, and witness or notary fields if required. State whether electronic signatures are accepted and what authentication is required.

Key Required Fields at a Glance

Proposed Change: Brief description and reference ID.
Effective Date: Enter in MM/DD/YYYY format.
Requester: Name, title, and contact email.
Estimated Cost: Itemized total and contingency percent.
Affected Documents: List drawings, specs, and versions.
Signatory: Authorized signer name and title.

Step-by-Step: From Draft to Signed Agreement

Follow these steps to prepare, review, and obtain approval for a Design Changes Proposal with clear audit trail and signatory evidence.

  • 01
    Draft Change: Document scope, reasons, and impacted items.
  • 02
    Estimate Costs: Calculate itemized labor and material totals.
  • 03
    Review: Technical and contract review by stakeholders.
  • 04
    Approval & Sign: Collect signatures and retain completed package.

Configuring an Online Proposal Template

Configure an online proposal template with required fields, conditional logic, and automated routing to reflect your organization's approval workflow.

Field Configuration
Required Fields Change ID, description, cost, dates, approver
Conditional Logic Show cost fields when change value > $0
Routing Route to approver by role and cost threshold
Notifications Email and in-app alerts to stakeholders

Where to Submit or File a Completed Proposal

Select submission destination based on contract terms: project folder, procurement system, owner representative, or general counsel for legal review.

  • Project Folder: Save to project document repository with version note.
  • Procurement: Upload to procurement or contract management system.
  • Owner Rep: Send to owner or client contact for approval.
  • Legal: Forward to counsel when contract or risk issues exist.

Distribution Channels and eSubmission Requirements

Choose distribution channels and eSubmission methods that match contract requirements and authentication needs for each stakeholder.

  • Email Delivery: Secure email with signed PDF copy.
  • Signing Link: Send web signing link with access code.
  • API Integration: Auto-save to CMS or ERP.

Typical Timelines and Processing Expectations

Set clear submission and review deadlines, indicate response SLAs, and document approval windows to align change execution with project milestones.

Submission Deadline:

Specify date by which proposal must be delivered.

Review Period:

State reviewer turnaround in business days.

Approval SLA:

Maximum days for final sign-off post-review.

Implementation Lead Time:

Estimate lag between approval and work start.

Escalation Window:

Timeframe for unresolved items before escalation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Failing to reference original contract or drawings leads to ambiguity, mispriced work, and disputes over baseline scope and responsibility.
  • Providing an incomplete cost breakdown or omitting assumptions often causes payment delays, change order disputes, and auditor questions.
  • Not including approver roles or authority levels can invalidate approvals or require rework when signees lack signing authority.
  • Using inconsistent dates or formats without clear effective date causes scheduling conflicts and may affect milestone-based payments.

Consequences of an Incorrect or Incomplete Proposal

Contract Breach: Unapproved work may be rejected.
Payment Delay: Invoices withheld pending resolution.
Dispute Risk: Leads to formal claims or litigation.
Regulatory Exposure: Industry compliance fines possible.
Project Delay: Cascading schedule impacts.
Audit Findings: Weak records may fail audits.

Representative Use Cases

Representative use cases show how Design Changes Proposals clarify responsibilities, speed approvals, and document cost and schedule impacts for stakeholders.

Property Renovation Project

A property manager submitted a Design Changes Proposal when tenants requested layout alterations during a multi-unit renovation to capture scope and cost.

  • Change order reduced disputes and rework.
  • The documented approval included itemized costs, revised milestone dates, and signatures from owner, contractor, and architect; this record supported timely payments and prevented billing disagreements during project closeout and audit.

Healthcare Facility Change

A clinic revised equipment layout to add a new imaging machine, requiring updates to patient flow and safety protocols documented via a Design Changes Proposal.

  • Included HIPAA review and BAA.
  • The proposal attached a HIPAA impact assessment and vendor BAA, clarified staff responsibilities for patient privacy, and secured sign-off from compliance and operations, preventing regulatory gaps during installation and staging.

Typical Signatories and Their Authority

Project Manager

Typically authorized to approve minor scope changes within delegated limits, sign change orders up to a specified dollar threshold, and coordinate technical approval. Verify delegated signing authority in contract; exceeding limits requires owner or executive approval.

Owner Representative

Named client or owner representative usually has authority to accept cost or schedule changes, execute final approvals, and bind the owner to amended terms. Contracts often require written delegation for surrogate signers or procurement officers.

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison for Executing Proposals

Comparison of common eSignature plan criteria relevant to executing Design Changes Proposals; vendors listed for feature reference with signNow first.

signNow DocuSign Adobe Sign PandaDoc HelloSign
Starting Price $8/user/mo $15/user/mo $14/user/mo $19/user/mo $15/user/mo
Free Trial 7-day free trial Varies Varies Varies Varies
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No
Envelope Cap No cap 100 envelopes/user/year Varies Varies Varies

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about preparing, signing, and validating a Design Changes Proposal to reduce delays and ensure enforceability.


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