Contracting Requirements, Plans, and Specifications
Documents have an order
The contract documents work as a system: agreement, addenda, specifications, and drawings (architectural, structural, and MEP), plus schedules, details, and general conditions. Standard precedence puts the agreement first, then addenda, then specifications, then drawings. Within the set, specific provisions override general ones, and written dimensions override scaled measurements. Never scale a dimension you can read.
Specifications are organized in three parts - general, products, and execution - and follow MasterFormat divisions. Distinguish proprietary specifications from "or equal" language: an equal requires approval through the substitution procedure, and the contractor bears the risk of installing an unapproved product. Submittals (shop drawings, product data, samples) are for review of design intent, not a transfer of responsibility; approval does not relieve the contractor of complying with the contract documents.
On the job, permits must be issued before work starts, and inspections occur at defined stages through final. Changes move through RFIs and written change orders; record drawings (as-builts) track what was actually built.
Trap: an addendum is issued during bidding and becomes part of the contract; a bulletin issued during construction is a change, not an addendum. Bidders must acknowledge addenda.
Rule of thumb: written beats scaled, specific beats general, later beats earlier.