CSI’s core principle is that contract documents describe the work results required, not the internal means, methods, or subcontracting arrangements of the contractor. The contractor (or construction manager) is responsible for:
Determining how the work will be divided among trades and subcontractors.
Coordinating different trades to achieve the required results shown on the drawings and described in the specifications.
Design professionals (architects and engineers):
Organize the documents by disciplines and work results (e.g., civil, architectural, electrical), not by subcontractor or trade contract structure.
Are not responsible for dictating which subcontractor performs which portion of the work; that is the contractor’s role.
Given that:
Site electrical work appears on civil drawings, but the electrical engineer has also prepared electrical documents for the building systems.
The intent of the contract documents is still to describe what must be installed and how it must perform, not which subcontractor does it.
The only option that aligns with CSI’s stated roles and responsibilities is:
D. The electrical engineer does not need to control how the work is to be assigned to subcontractors.
Why the other options are not the “intent” of the documents:
A. The civil contractor is to place the concrete bases and the electrical contractor is to install the site lighting.This presumes a specific trade split based on drawing origin. CSI emphasizes that the contractor determines trade assignments, not the drawings themselves.
B. The civil contractor is to place the concrete bases and the site lighting, with the electrical contractor making the final connections.Again, this dictates trade assignments. The documents may show coordination between civil and electrical work, but do not prescribe how contractors must divide their subcontracts.
C. The general contractor needs to coordinate the work and verify that the electrical subcontractor bids the site electrical.While coordination of work is indeed a contractor responsibility, the phrasing here implies that the documents intend to direct which subcontractor must price which work package. CSI’s standpoint is that the contractor is free to structure subcontract bids as they see fit, as long as the required work is provided in accordance with the contract.
Thus, the intent of the contract documents is to define the required end results, not to assign work scopes among subcontractors. Option D correctly reflects that intent and the design professional’s role.
Relevant CSI-aligned references (no URLs):
CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide – roles and responsibilities of owner, design professional, and contractor; explanation that contractor controls means, methods, and subcontracting.
CSI Construction Specifications Practice Guide – distinction between describing work results and assigning work trades.
CSI CDT Body of Knowledge – contract document intent vs. contractor’s responsibility for dividing the work.
