An ASI clarifies or lightly adjusts contract documents during construction without changing contract sum or schedule, when it does affect cost or time, teams pivot to the change order process.
ASIs can clarify details, lock finishes, resolve ambiguities, or provide revised graphics when work remains within the contracted scope and price/time stay neutral. They cannot add material new scope, override code, or silently move dollars or dates, that requires owner-approved change documentation.
Track ASI numbers, references, acknowledgement, and field distribution, high volume often signals upstream CD quality issues. Pre-submission QA on architectural and spec vs drawing alignment reduces avoidable ASIs.
Catch coordination conflicts and ambiguous details while CDs are still editable, shrinking the ASI/RFI churn that hits architects and engineers during construction administration.
Not by definition, disputes escalate to change order dialogue when impacts exist.
Architect of record (or authorized delegate).
Architect's Supplemental Instruction.
RFI asks; ASI instructs with formal record.
Change orders capture cost/time/scope movement.
