What happens when the Owner and Contractor cannot agree on a proposed change in A201?

• A. The Contractor may unilaterally implement the change immediately.
• B. The Owner may issue a Stop Work Order.
• C. The Architect must approve and implement the change immediately without negotiations.
• D. The Architect may issue a Construction Change Directive to authorize the change temporarily while the final Change Order is negotiated.

Answer: (D)

When the Owner and Contractor can’t agree on a proposed change, the Architect issues a Construction Change Directive to authorize the change temporarily while the final Change Order is negotiated. This keeps the work moving and provides a defined scope, timing, and cost framework for the change in the interim. The contractor proceeds as directed, and the final amounts and adjustments are resolved later through a Change Order. This is not a unilateral change by the contractor, and it isn’t a Stop Work Order; those are different tools with separate purposes. The CCD specifically serves as a temporary authorization to proceed so the project isn’t delayed while terms are hammered out.