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Project Preliminary CD Template

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PROJECT PRELIMINARY CD TEMPLATE

Parties and Project Identification

This Project Preliminary Construction Documents Template (the "Template") is entered into by and between Client Name: and Consultant Name: .

Project Title: — Project Location:

Effective Date:

WHEREAS

WHEREAS, Client has engaged Consultant to prepare preliminary construction documents for the Project for the purpose of establishing design intent, scope, and base-level construction information necessary for cost estimating and permitting; and

WHEREAS, Consultant represents that it possesses the professional capabilities, experience, and personnel necessary to perform the work described in this Template and will perform such work in accordance with standard industry practice and applicable laws; and

WHEREAS, the Parties desire to set forth the preliminary scope, deliverables, schedule, and payment terms for the creation and delivery of the Preliminary Construction Documents (Preliminary CDs).

Scope of Work

Schematic Design set (SD)

Design Development set (DD)

Preliminary Construction Documents set (Preliminary CDs)

First Milestone (description): Date:

Second Milestone (description): Date:

Payment Terms

Invoices due net: days from invoice date. Late fee: . Client shall also be responsible for reasonable collection costs and interest where permitted by law.

Term and Termination

Commencement Date: . Anticipated Completion Date:

Either Party may terminate this Template for convenience upon days written notice. Termination for cause may be immediate upon material breach if such breach is not cured within days after written notice. Upon termination, Consultant shall be compensated for work performed and reimbursable expenses incurred to the effective date of termination.

Change Orders

Any changes to the scope, schedule, or compensation shall be made only by written change order signed by authorized representatives of both Parties. Change orders shall specify the change in scope, adjustment to compensation, and any extension of schedule.

Confidentiality

Each Party will keep confidential and will not disclose to third parties any non-public information received from the other Party that is marked or reasonably understood to be confidential, except as required by law. Confidential information does not include information that is or becomes generally known through no wrongful act of the receiving Party, or that is independently developed by the receiving Party without use of the disclosing Party's confidential information.

Insurance and Liability

Consultant shall maintain professional liability and general liability insurance in amounts customary for the services provided. The Parties agree that Consultant's liability for direct damages arising out of Consultant's performance shall be limited to the total fees paid for the services under this Template, except where prohibited by applicable law. Neither Party shall be liable to the other for consequential, incidental, or punitive damages except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Governing Law

This Template shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of , without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Entire Agreement

This Template, including any attachments, exhibits and executed change orders, constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior discussions, understandings, and agreements. No amendment shall be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both Parties.

Notices

Additional Provisions

Client:

By:

Date:

Consultant:

By:

Date:

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What the Project Preliminary CD Template Covers

The Project Preliminary CD Template is a standardized package of preliminary construction documents used to communicate scope, drawings, specifications, schedule assumptions, and key contract terms before issuing final construction documents. It acts as an early reference for bidders, stakeholders, and permitting authorities to review design intent, identify coordination items, and estimate costs. The template supports versioning, revision tracking, and optional electronic signature fields so parties can acknowledge receipt or acceptance of preliminary conditions while preserving an audit trail for project records and regulatory review.

Why a Structured Preliminary CD Template Matters

A consistent preliminary CD template reduces ambiguity, speeds review cycles, and creates a defensible record of pre-construction decisions. It helps coordinate trades, supports accurate bids, and documents assumptions that can later affect change orders or schedules.

Why a Structured Preliminary CD Template Matters

Typical Users and When They Rely on the Template

Project teams use a preliminary CD template at design milestones to align stakeholders and start procurement activities.

  • Project managers and design leads who coordinate reviews, collect comments, and authorize versions before bidding.
  • General contractors and estimators who use the package to prepare bid scopes, pricing, and subcontractor solicitations.
  • Owners and financial stakeholders who need an early cost and schedule snapshot before committing funds.

Use it for pre-bid distribution, internal approvals, and as the baseline for subsequent revisions or final CDs.

Stepwise Process to Prepare and Issue a Preliminary CD

Follow this sequence to ensure completeness, version control, and clear distribution to reviewers and bidders.

  • 01
    Assemble Draft: Collect drawings, specs, schedule, and assumptions into a single package.
  • 02
    Internal QA: Review for missing details, scope gaps, or coordination conflicts before external release.
  • 03
    Version and Tag: Assign a revision number and issue date to enable traceability.
  • 04
    Distribute to Recipients: Send via email, secure link, or eSignature platform with access controls.

Typical Distribution and Acknowledgment Workflow

A simple, auditable workflow reduces disputes and gives parties a clear timeline for comments and bids.

  • Upload Package: Host the preliminary CD as a single PDF or package with embedded index pages.
  • Place Fields: Add fillable fields for reviewer initials, comments, and signature blocks.
  • Send to Reviewers: Use targeted distribution lists and set signing order when necessary.
  • Capture Audit Trail: Record timestamps, signer IPs, and revision acceptance for the project file.

Essential Elements to Include in a Professional Preliminary CD

Ensure the template contains consistent content blocks so reviewers and bidders can locate information quickly and reliably.

Cover Sheet

Project title, owner, design firm, issue date, revision number, and a brief summary of what is included and what remains to be developed.

Drawing Index

Indexed list of included sheets with sheet numbers, titles, and revision markers so recipients can reference specific items quickly.

Key Assumptions

Document major assumptions about site conditions, existing utilities, coordination allowances, phasing, and allowances that affect bidding and scheduling.

Specifications Summary

High-level spec sections, performance criteria, and referenced standards without the full final spec book when in preliminary stage.

Preliminary Schedule

Milestones, major durations, and constraints used for bid pricing and early procurement decisions.

Signature & Receipt

Field for recipient acknowledgment, date, and role; include optional electronic signature fields and an audit record.

Recommended Digital Workflow Settings for eSubmission

Configure your eSignature workflow to balance ease of signing with necessary authentication and auditability.

Field Configuration
Authentication Email link or SMS code for recipients; use stronger methods for high-risk approvals.
Signing Order Sequential for approvals, parallel for wide distribution to save time.
Access Controls Restrict downloads and set link expirations to protect preliminary intellectual property.
Audit Capture Enable timestamp, IP, and action logging for every signer and reviewer.

Technical Considerations for Electronic Submission and Signing

Verify file formats, integrations, and compliance needs before sending preliminary CDs electronically.

  • File Formats: PDF, Word DOCX, and flattened drawing PDFs are standard for distribution.
  • Integrations: Connectors to cloud storage, ERP, or project management tools speed workflows.
  • Compliance: Platform should support audit trails and HIPAA/21 CFR needs when applicable.

Common Preparation Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Incomplete coordination between trades leading to contradictory notes on separate sheets, which increases RFIs and rework.
  • Unclear scope or missing exclusions that produce wide bid variances and contentious change order negotiations later.
  • Failure to version or tag files consistently, causing multiple teams to work from outdated documents and risking scheduling errors.
  • Overloading preliminary packages with final-level detail that misleads bidders and creates expectation gaps when final CDs differ.

Security and Compliance Considerations for Electronic Preliminary CDs

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3; AES-256 at rest
Audit Trail: Timestamped action logs and signer metadata
Access Controls: Role-based permissions and link expirations
BAA Availability: HIPAA BAA available when required
Regulatory Standards: Supports ESIGN and UETA compliance
Certification: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Risks and Consequences of an Incorrect Preliminary CD

Bid Discrepancies: Higher costs
Schedule Delays: Project slowdowns
Change Orders: Cost disputes
Contract Claims: Legal exposure
Regulatory Rejection: Permit delays
Audit Failure: Recordkeeping gaps

Timing and Typical Deadlines for Preliminary CD Distribution

Set explicit review windows and update cadence to keep the pre-construction schedule on track and bids comparable.

Issue for Information:

Publish preliminary CDs with an issue date and 7–14 day comment window.

Bid Clarifications:

Allow a single clarified addendum period, often 7–14 days before bid closing.

Revision Releases:

Release numbered revisions with new issue dates and a summary of changes.

Pre-bid Meeting:

Schedule within the bid period to review assumptions and site conditions.

Final CD Deadline:

Establish a cut-off date for final CD updates before procurement begins.

Key Project Milestones in Preliminary CD Lifecycle

Track these numbered milestones to coordinate design, review, and procurement activities across stakeholders.

01

Design Milestone

Produce the initial preliminary CD package for internal review.

02

External Review

Distribute to contractors and stakeholders for questions and comments.

03

Revision Issuance

Publish updated CDs addressing comments and clarifications.

04

Transition to Final

Freeze items for final construction documents and procurement.

How Preliminary CDs Differ from Final Construction Documents

Comparing preliminary to final CDs helps set expectations for level of detail, liability, and how changes are managed.

Aspect Preliminary CD Final CD
Level of Detail conceptual fully detailed
Bid Reliance limited primary
Liability advisory contractual
Change Frequency frequent controlled

Typical eSignature Provider Comparison for Preliminary CD Workflows

Platform choice affects cost, bulk distribution capability, and available compliance safeguards when sending preliminary CDs to many recipients.

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 Varies
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Practical Examples of Using a Preliminary CD Template

These brief examples show how teams applied a preliminary CD template to improve clarity, bidding, and recordkeeping.

Regional Hospital Renovation

Design team issued a preliminary CD for phased renovation

  • Contractors priced in modular phasing assumptions
  • Resulting bids aligned to phases and reduced early change orders by clarifying scope for critical systems.

Municipal Library Addition

Public owner required a standardized preliminary CD for procurement

  • Addendum and pre-bid Q&A used a single revision control process
  • Procurement cycle shortened and audit trail preserved for grant compliance.

Who Typically Signs or Acknowledges a Preliminary CD

Project Manager

Project managers sign to acknowledge receipt, distribute to contractors, and maintain version control. Their acknowledgment documents that reviewers received the package and that any later interpretations reference the issued version.

Contractor Estimator

Estimators or prime contractors sign to confirm they reviewed assumptions and conditions; this acknowledgment clarifies reliance scope and supports consistent bid comparisons across proposers.

Frequently Asked Questions about Project Preliminary CD Templates

Answers to common questions on legality, signing, version control, and storage when using preliminary CDs in U.S. projects.


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