[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-244060-105":53,"doc-detail-244060-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","change-orders-companion-guide","Change Orders - Companion Guide","","Change Orders explains how highway construction contracts must be modified when unforeseen conditions or design needs arise during project execution. It defines change orders as negotiated agreements affecting cost, schedule, design details, or specifications, and distinguishes claims as requests for additional compensation beyond standard change order processing. The guide outlines how to initiate change requests, obtain State DOT or FHWA approval, and evaluate eligibility for Federal-aid participation using required supporting documentation, negotiation, and approval steps.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/change-orders-companion-guide/244060/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/change-orders-companion-guide/244060.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Kyle","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What is a change order in a construction contract?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"A change order is a negotiated agreement with the contractor that alters the contract cost, schedule, design details, specification requirements, or combinations of these.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How do oversight agencies evaluate a request for approval of a contract change?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"The oversight agency (State DOT or FHWA) assesses whether proposed changes are eligible for continued Federal-aid participation, and may require more detailed information as the magnitude increases.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What supporting documentation is needed to justify contract modifications and proposed costs?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Documentation should justify the modification and cost changes, including accurate records of time, labor, equipment, and materials, comparable cost estimates, schedule modification evaluation, and court orders or legal agreements resolving claims.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},244060,1790177716,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":76,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":9},3985741905716,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Companion Guide to Video  August 2012  \nProject Construction and Contract Administration Contract Administration  \nChange Orders  \n[www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials](www.fhwa.dot.gov/federal-aidessentials)  \nWhen contract changes are needed, approval from the oversight agency must be obtained as part of Federal funding procedures  \nYou may have heard the saying, “The best laid plans   often go awry.” The highway construction industry recognizes that it is unrealistic to expect that a construction project can be built without changes to the original project plans. Although designers and engineers prepare project plans with diligence and great care, unforeseen conditions, utility conflicts , or unknown geology are items that often can’t be anticipated and factored into project design and specifications.  \nIt may also become apparent after a construction project has begun that design alterations are needed to make the constructed work a better fit for the field conditions. When this happens on your construction project, the project contract needs to be modified to accommodate the required changes. However, contract changes need to be approved as part of the Federal funding procedures. Properly executing contract changes is critical to a project’s success.  \nWhat is a Change?  \nA change is any alteration to the original construction contract. Change orders are negotiated agreements with the contractor that  \naffect the cost, schedule, design details or specification requirements, or any combination of these. Not every agency uses the same terminology for contract changes. Other common terms used to refer to contract changes are change order, contract change order, supplemental agreement, contract modification, work order, and time adjustment or time extension.  \nA claim is also processed as contract change. A claim is formal request for additional compensation that is a step beyond the normal change order process. Claims are usually the result of unresolved modifications to a contract that have been previously denied in the change order process.  \nProcessing Changes for Implementation  \nGenerally, the reason change orders are needed is to make contract adjustments, such as plan or specification corrections, or changes to cost or time allowed to complete the work.  \nRegardless of the reason for the change, initiate a change request and follow the appropriate procedures to obtain approval by your oversight agency. The oversight agency is either the State department of transportation (State DOT) or the Federal  \nHighway Administration (FHWA) . Changes to a contract require the same level of approval asthe initial contract.  \nUpon receipt of the request for approval of a contract change, the oversight agency will assess your request to determine whether the proposed changes are eligible for continued Federal-aid participation. Depending on the magnitude of the proposed changes, the level of detail of information needed for analysis may increase. When developing a change request, ata minimum, be sure to assess these four issues for every proposed change:  \n1. Why is the change necessary?  \n2. What will the impact be on the original scope of work?  \n3. Who is responsible for costs or delays?  \n4. Who should pay for the changes?  \nSupporting Documentation  \nTo ensure that proposed changes are allowable and accepted for your federally funded project, there are three activities that must occur.  \nDocumentation  \nPrepare documents that justify the need for the contract modification and the proposed cost changes.  \nExamples of documentation include;  \n• Accurate records that show the time, labor, equipment, and materials  \n• Cost estimates prepared by the agency that can be compared to the costs in the proposed change order submitted by the contractor  \n• Evaluation of construction schedule modifications needed and incorporated into the change  \n• Court orders or other legal agreements that are used to resolve a claim  \nNegotiation  \nA","cbCaifqyocZH87dX","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaifqyocZH87dX","pdf",191603,"English","# What is a Change?\n## Processing Changes for Implementation\n## Supporting Documentation\n## Negotiation\n## Approval\n# Summary\n# Additional Resources","[{\"question\":\"What is a change order in a construction contract?\",\"answer\":\"A change order is a negotiated agreement with the contractor that alters the contract cost, schedule, design details, specification requirements, or combinations of these.\"},{\"question\":\"How do oversight agencies evaluate a request for approval of a contract change?\",\"answer\":\"The oversight agency (State DOT or FHWA) assesses whether proposed changes are eligible for continued Federal-aid participation, and may require more detailed information as the magnitude increases.\"},{\"question\":\"What supporting documentation is needed to justify contract modifications and proposed costs?\",\"answer\":\"Documentation should justify the modification and cost changes, including accurate records of time, labor, equipment, and materials, comparable cost estimates, schedule modification evaluation, and court orders or legal agreements resolving claims.\"}]","Change Orders - Companion Guide | PDF",1789211517]