If the information contained within the contract documents is questionable, what is the contractor's responsibility?

• A. Notify the architect.
• B. Notify the owner.
• C. Ignore it.
• D. Terminate the contract.

Answer: (A)

When contract documents raise questions, the contractor must seek clarification through the architect. The architect is the designated interpreter of the contract documents and is equipped to issue clarifications or addenda that resolve ambiguities before work proceeds. This keeps everyone on the same page and helps prevent costly mistakes or disputes.

Notifying the owner isn’t appropriate because the owner isn’t the contract administrator for technical interpretations, and bypassing the proper channel can create confusion or unauthorized changes. Ignoring the issue risks performing work based on a misread of the documents, which could lead to errors and claims. Terminating the contract is not a remedy for ambiguous information and would be an excessive step before pursuing a clarification.

So, the correct approach is to promptly notify the architect to obtain an official clarification.