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Architectural Resources

The purpose of this web page is to provide current, useful architectural information to applicants, consultants, and Agency staff. Rural Development requirements may apply generally to all programs or specifically to one program.

General Information

Multi-Family Housing

Single Family Housing

Community Facilities

Design Agreements/Requirements

Construction Agreements

Design-Build and Construction Management

Documents in PDF format require that Adobe Acrobat Reader be installed on your system in order to read the files. Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free.

General Information

--National Office Web Site...The Rural Housing programs web site, contains additional architectural resources including discussions concerning lead based paint hazards and links to web sites such as the Federal Register and U.S. Code libraries.


--State of Nebraska Energy Codes

--State of Nebraska – Engineers and Architects Regulation Act

--Accessibility Standards

      --Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations

    --"And Justice For All" Poster

     --"Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" Poster

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Multi-Family Housing


-- Water Conservation

--Capital Needs Assessment

For Information Contact...The State Architect or the Multi Family Housing Specialist.

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Single Family Housing

--Green Built Homes

     --Lead-Based Paint

--State Instruction 1924-A

For Information Contact...The State Architect or the Single Family Housing Specialist.

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Community Facilities

--Preliminary Architectural Report (PAR)... USDA Rural Development Instruction 1942-A Guide 6 offers instructions on completing a PAR for the Agency. If an Architect does not prepare the report, one should be consulted for estimating construction and operations and management costs.

For Information Contact...The State Architect.

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Design Agreements/Requirements

--Owner and Architect Agreement... American Institute of Architects (AIA) B101-2007 including USDA Rural Development Instruction 1942-A, Guide 27 Attachment 1.

--Certification Regarding Debarment - Form AD-1048, Certification that the consultant is not debarred from performing work on projects that involve contracts over $25,000.

--Design Standards... USDA Rural Development Instruction 1942-A Section 18 includes design standards and project development regulations. Plans and specifications shall be submitted to the Rural Development Architect or Engineer for review of these standards before the project may be bid.

--Seismic Safety Requirements... All new building construction shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the seismic provisions of the most current version of the following building codes providing an equivalent level of safety to that contained in the latest edition of the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program’s (NEHRP) Recommended Provisions for the Development of Seismic Regulations for New Building (NEHRP Provisions)

International Building Code

International Residential Code

The date, signature, and seal of a registered architect or engineer and the identification and date of the building code on the plans and specifications will be evidence of compliance with the seismic requirements of the appropriate building code.

For Information Contact...The State Architect.

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Construction Agreements

Traditional Rural Development Construction Documents... This section includes the Agency front end documents for construction projects if the American Institute of Architects (AIA) documents are not used.

--Front End Documents

RD Instruction 1942-A Guide 19 includes the Advertisement to Bid, Information to Bidders, Bid Bond, Bid Form, Agreement, Performance and Payment Bonds, Notice of Award, Notice to Proceed, General Conditions.

--Supplemental General Conditions RD Instruction 1942-A Guide 18 includes the Supplemental Conditions.

--Compliance Statement, EEO Form RD 400-6 Certification that the contractor is in compliance with EEO laws for contracts over $10,000.

--Certification Regarding Debarment Form AD 1048 Certification that the contractor is not debarred from performing work on projects involving contracts over $25,000.

--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities RD Instruction 1940-Q, Exhibit A-1 Certification that lobbying activities of the contractor are legal for contracts over $100,000.

--Change Order form Form RD 1924-7

--Partial Pay Estimate form Form RD 1924-18

--Construction Sign Template

Supplied by Rural Development doc or pdf

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American Institute of Architects (AIA) Construction Documents... USDA Rural Development has worked in cooperation with the AIA to use their documents with Agency attachments as required.

--Table of Contents Prepared by Consultant

--Advertisement for Bids

Prepared by Consultant

--Instructions to Bidders

AIA A701-1997 plus Guide 27 Attachment 2

--Bid Form

Prepared by Consultant

--Bid Bond

AIA A310-1970 or 2010

--Agreement

AIA A101- 2007 plus Guide 27 Attachment 3

--Performance Bond

AIA A312-1984 or 2010

--Payment Bond

AIA A312-1984 or 2010

--Compliance Statement, EEO
Form RD 400-6, Certifications that the contractor is in compliance with EEO laws for contracts over $10,000

--Certification Regarding Debarment

Form AD 1048, Certification that the contractor is not debarred from performing work on projects involving contracts over $25,000.

--Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
RD Instruction 1940-Q Exhibit A-1, Certification that lobbying activities of the contractor are legal for contracts over $100,000.

--Certificate of Owner's Attorney

RD Instruction 1942-A Guide 18 page 7

--Notice of Award
Prepared by Consultant

--Notice to Proceed

Prepared by Consultant

--Standard General Conditions

AIA A201-2007 plus Guide 27 Attachment 4

--Partial Payment Estimate

AIA G702 and 703 modified to include the Owner and Rural Development signatures or Form RD 1924-18

--Change Order

AIA G701 modified to include Rural Development signature or Form RD 1924-7

--Construction Sign Template

Supplied by Rural Development doc or pdf

Documents that require signatures should be submitted to the Agency with original signatures in blue ink. Once the required signatures have been acquired, copies may be made for additional parties. Use only original AIA documents.

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Small Purchase Contracts...USDA Rural Development has a small purchase contract for projects that do not carry great financial risks.

--Form RD 1924-6 and its accompanying Attachment A and Attachment B Rural Development approval is required before using this agreement.

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Design-Build and Construction Management

Procurement methods which combine or rearrange design, inspection or construction services (such as design/build or construction management) may be used with Rural Development written approval. Prior concurrence must be obtained from the National Office and the Office of General Counsel if the contract amount exceeds $250,000. Grant funds cannot be used for either of these procurement methods.

    1.     The owner's written request to use an unconventional contracting method with a description of the proposed method and the selection process used to acquire the CM or DB services.

    2.     A proposed scope of work describing in clear, concise terms the technical requirements for the contract. It should include such items as:

                  a.        A non-technical statement summarizing the work to be performed by the contractor and the results expected.

                  b.       The sequence in which the work is to be performed and a proposed construction schedule.

          3.     A proposed firm-fixed-price contract for the entire project which provides that the contractor shall be responsible for:

a.      Any extra cost that may result from errors or omissions in the services provided under the contract.

b.      Compliance with all Federal, State, and local requirements effective on the contract execution date.

     4.   Where noncompetitive negotiation is accepted by the Agency, an evaluation of the contractor’s performance on previous similar projects in which the contractor acted in a similar capacity.

     5.   A detailed listing and cost estimate of equipment and supplies not included in the construction contract but which are necessary to properly operate the facility.

     6.   Evidence that a qualified construction inspector who is independent of the contractor has or will be hired.

     7.   Preliminary plans and outline specifications.

     8.   The owner’s attorney’s opinion and comments regarding the legal adequacy of the proposed contract documents and evidence that the owner has the legal authority to enter into and fulfill the contract.

There are two types of Construction Managers: Construction Manager as Constructor (CMc) and Construction Manager as Advisor (CMa). A CMc acts in the capacity of a General Contractor and is financially and professionally responsible for the construction. This type of Construction Management is also referred to as Construction Manager “At Risk”. The construction contract is between the owner and the CMc. The CMc in turn subcontracts for some or all of the work. Fees for the CMc typically fall in the range of 4-7% of the cost of construction, depending on the scope of work and its complexity. The CMc must carry the Agency required 100% surety and insurance, typically required of the general contractor of a project.

A CMa acts in an advisory capacity to the owner on issues related to construction management. The actual contract for construction services should be between the owner and a general contractor. The contract for the position of CMa is subject to free and open competition, just as is the contract for construction services by the general contractor. Fees for a CMa should be in the range of 1-3% depending on the scope of services and its complexity. Duplication of services among the architect and the CMa must be avoided and adjustments to fees should be made accordingly. The Agency requirements for surety and insurance cannot be held by the CMa. Full surety and insurance must be provided by the general contractor.

The Design/Build (DB) method of construction is one in which architectural and engineering services normally provided by an independent consultant to the owner are combined with those of the general contractor under a single source contract. These services are commonly provided by a DB firm, a joint venture between an architectural firm and a construction firm, or a company providing pre-engineered buildings and design services. The entity (company or individual) that is the DB firm, with whom the Owner has the contract, must have 100% surety (typically bonding) and insurance, including professional liability insurance and errors and omissions insurance, in its own name, rather than in the name of other firms it hires to execute any part of the work of design or construction.

Due to the complexity and variability of how different contractors and architects define DB and CM it is recommended that the owner, DB, CM and Rural Development meet prior to the application to work out details.

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Last Updated: 05/12/11

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