After the construction contract is awarded, the contractor should submit a proposed schedule for submission of shop drawings to meet the construction schedule. This permits the architect to anticipate submissions and plan manpower requirements accordingly, based on the number and complexity of each submission.
As an ongoing part of quality control, the architect should review the shop drawings, product literature, and samples and observe material and mock-up testing.
This is considered part of the shop drawing submittal process. The architect should be an independent agent and side neither with the client nor the contractor in acceptance or rejection of a submittal. Rather, based on professional judgment, the architect should render a decision as to whether the submittal is in general accordance with the construction documents and design intent. All submittals should be properly identified and recorded when received by the architect, as part of document control. The architect should review the submittal expeditiously and return it to the contractor with the appropriate action.
The architects action shown on the submittal usually records that the contractor can proceed, proceed as noted, or not proceed. A copy of the proceed and proceedas- noted submittal should be maintained in the architects and contractors site office for reference. The client should also be provided with the transmittal associated with submittals. This helps keep the client informed regarding the progress of the work relative to the schedule for submission of shop drawings.
