FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2026
Contact: Katie LaPotin, Executive/Marketing Director
(571) 396-5495
Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee® (EJCDC) Releases the EJCDC® E-571, Engineer-Subconsultant Short Form Agreement
Alexandria, VA – EJCDC is pleased to present EJCDC® E‑571, Short Form of Agreement Between Engineer and Subconsultant for Professional Services, 2026 Edition. This is a new document intended for use with subconsultant assignments having limited scope and complexity.
E-571 is patterned closely after the EJCDC® E‑520, Short Form of Agreement Between Owner and Engineer for Professional Services, 2020 Edition, with appropriate modifications for a subagreement. The new form is an outgrowth of interest in a shorter version of our standard, long form Engineer-Subconsultant agreement, EJCDC® E‑570, Agreement Between Engineer and Subconsultant for Professional Services.
As with other recently published EJCDC standard documents, the new E-571 Short Form begins with an introductory “Guidelines for Use” section. This section is especially helpful with the Short Form because it contains detailed guidance regarding whether the Short Form is appropriate for use on the project in question. This suitability issue is a common concern, and choosing the best option is important. In some cases a more comprehensive contract form, such as E‑570, may be better suited to the project. The new detailed Guidelines for Use include a table showing the substantial differences between the E-571 Short Form and E‑570.
E‑571 Short Form has been organized by sections to generally parallel the order of presentation used in the more comprehensive E‑570 Engineer-Subconsultant Agreement. This organization assists users who want to directly compare the two documents to determine which is most appropriate for the specific project. Together with the table of differences in the Guidelines for Use, the document organization also allows easier supplementation of E‑571 Short Form with select provisions from E‑570, when such customization is deemed appropriate.
Although E-571 was especially designed for engaging a subconsultant in conjunction with the E-520 Owner-Engineer Short Form prime agreement, it can also be used as a basis for drafting a subconsultant agreement when the parties prefer not to use a more comprehensive, longer standard form, such as E-570. For Subconsultant assignments that have only a very minor role relative to the Engineer’s overall project obligations or liabilities, E-571 might be an option even on larger, more complex projects or when engaging subconsultants with limited resources, staff, or insurance coverage. Users should consult with legal counsel and risk/insurance managers to determine which subconsultant agreement form is most appropriate for each project as well as any required form modifications.
Notable features of E‑571 Short Form include:
- E-571 addresses flow down provisions of the prime agreement in the same manner as our long-form subconsultant agreement (E-570) and provides for inclusion of a copy of the prime agreement as Attachment 1.
- Users are reminded to review the prime agreement for applicability to the subconsultant’s assignment and modify the Short Form as needed to assure any prime agreement flow down requirements are appropriately addressed in the final subagreement.
- Because the scope of a subconsultant assignment may be quite unique, no model scope for the subconsultant’s services is provided in E-571.
- When the scope is relatively limited, it can be incorporated directly into the text of the agreement form.
- For more detailed scopes, such as when the scope has been separately prepared, perhaps in a letter proposal, E-571 provides that the subconsultant scope can be included as an attachment.
- The scoping flexibility afforded in this short-form format makes E-571 particularly well-suited for use on limited, straight-forward subconsultant assignments of the type often initiated by a letter proposal process.
- E-571 retains the four “time of payment” options associated with our more comprehensive subconsultant agreement forms. Even if the E-571 Short Form is used for minor subconsultant assignments on complex projects with more comprehensive prime agreements, the parties can still use the payment provisions most appropriate for the subconsultant’s assignment relative to the entire project.
- Similar to E-520 Owner-Engineer Short Form and typical of most subconsultant assignments, E-571 Includes three options for basis of payment: Lump Sum, Hourly, and Direct Labor Coat Times a Factor. These may be modified as appropriate for the assignment or prime agreement.
- Recognizing potential prime agreement obligations as well as good subconsulting practice, a basic insurance clause is included together with provision for an additional user furnished insurance requirements appendix.
- In accordance with E-520 Owner-Engineer Short Form, E-571 does not include a general limitation of liability. But, like E-520, it provides for a mutual waiver of damages covering special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages, to the extent of any waiver agreed to between owner and engineer.
- Because E-571 is intended for subconsultant assignments of limited scope and complexity, the Short-form agreement provides default language that the subconsultant’s total liability to the engineer will be limited to $100,000 or the total compensation of the Subconsultant, whichever is greater.
- This default limitation of liability is identical to that provided in the E-520 Owner-Engineer Short Form.
- The parties are, of course, free to negotiate other liability limits, delete the limitation of liability entirely, or incorporate other risk management language as appropriate for each assignment.
The EJCDC® E-571 is currently available for purchase in the online store at EJCDC.org. Members of EJCDC®’s sponsoring organizations (the American Council of Engineering Companies, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers – Construction Institute) can also purchase this document directly from those organizations starting today at a 35% discount.
Over the last 50 years, Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC®) has developed and updated fair and objective standard documents specifically written for infrastructure projects in the United States. Each EJCDC® Contract Document is systematically prepared, reviewed and analyzed by committees of experienced engineering design and construction professionals, owners, contractors, professional liability and risk management experts, with the participation and advice of legal counsel.
For more information, please contact EJCDC® Executive/Marketing Director Katie LaPotin at katie@ejcdc.org or (571) 396-5495.
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