Who must communications with outside contractors hired by the owner pass through?

• A. Through the architect
• B. Directly between owner and outside contractor
• C. Through the owner
• D. Through the contractor

Answer: (C)

Central to this item is who controls the flow of instructions when the owner hires external contractors. Since those outside contractors are engaged directly by the owner, the owner holds the contractual authority over them. To keep project direction consistent and avoid mixed messages, all communications with those owner-hired contractors should pass through the owner. This centralized channel ensures that instructions, changes, and approvals are properly authorized and documented, and then relayed to the appropriate parties (such as the architect or prime contractor) as needed. Routing communications through the architect or directly between owner and contractor could bypass the owner’s authority or create conflicting directions, and routing through the contractor would place control in the wrong hands, risking misalignment with the contract, schedule, and budget.