AIA Contract Series · ARE 5.0 Exam Prep · Updated May 2026
AIA A701 explained for ARE 5.0
A plain-language breakdown of the Instructions to Bidders — what it covers, how it governs the bidding process, and what to know for the Construction & Evaluation division.
What is AIA A701?
The AIA A701 — formally titled Instructions to Bidders — is the document that tells bidders exactly how to prepare and submit a bid for a construction project. It is part of the bidding documents and establishes the rules of the bidding process before a contract is signed.
Think of A701 as the rulebook for the bidding phase. It does not define the scope of work, the drawings, or the specifications — those are found in other bidding documents. Instead, A701 tells prospective contractors how to obtain documents, how to ask questions, how to submit their bid, what happens if they make a mistake, and what the owner expects before awarding the contract. The 2018 edition is the version referenced on the ARE 5.0.
Why A701 appears on CE
The bidding phase is the bridge between design and construction, and the architect assists the owner in administering the bidding process. CE tests whether candidates understand that role — and A701 is the document that defines how bidding is conducted.
CE
Construction & Evaluation
The architect assists the owner during bidding by answering questions through addenda, evaluating bid information, and assisting with contractor selection. A701 governs the process the architect helps administer.
What A701 covers — article by article
Article 1
Definitions
Establishes the key terms used throughout the bidding process — including Bidding Documents, Bidder, Bid, Base Bid, Alternate Bid, Unit Price, Sub-bidder, and Addendum. Understanding these definitions is essential because the ARE 5.0 frequently tests whether candidates can distinguish between bidding documents (which include A701) and contract documents (which do not — A701 is not part of the executed contract).
Article 2
Bidder’s representations
By submitting a bid, the Bidder represents that they have read and understood the bidding documents, visited the site, become familiar with local conditions, and verified that their bid is based on the materials and systems required by the documents without exception. This representation protects the owner from claims that the contractor did not understand what they were bidding on.
Article 3
Bidding documents
Describes how bidding documents are made available to prospective bidders. Bidders obtain complete Bidding Documents from the issuing office identified in the advertisement or invitation to bid. A deposit may be required and is refundable under specified conditions. Neither the Owner nor Architect assumes responsibility for errors resulting from use of incomplete Bidding Documents (A701 §3.1.4). This article also addresses substitutions — requests must be submitted in writing to the architect at least ten days before bids are due, the burden of proof is on the proposer, and any approved substitution must be communicated to all bidders via addendum. Addenda are the only binding way to modify or interpret the bidding documents.
Article 4
Bidding procedures
Specifies how bids must be prepared and submitted — the required form, the deadline, how bids are sealed and labeled, and the consequences of improper submission. Bids submitted after the date and time for receipt of bids, or at an incorrect place, will not be accepted. This article also covers bid security — the bond or certified check a bidder submits to guarantee they will execute the contract if selected. Bidders may withdraw or replace a bid before the deadline without forfeiting bid security.
Article 5
Consideration of bids
After bids are received and opened, the owner evaluates responsive and responsible bids before awarding the contract. The owner has the right to reject any or all bids and to waive informalities and irregularities in a bid received. The owner is not required to accept the lowest bid — selection may consider responsiveness and responsibility, not price alone. The owner may also accept alternates in any order. The architect may assist the owner in reviewing bid information, but the owner accepts or rejects bids and awards the contract.
Article 6
Post-bid information
After a contractor is selected, they may be required to submit a list of subcontractors and suppliers, qualification statements, and other information before the contract is executed. A Bidder under consideration for award may also request reasonable evidence that the Owner has made financial arrangements to fulfill the Owner’s obligations under the Contract (A701 §6.2) — if that evidence is not furnished within the allotted time, the Bidder will not be required to execute the agreement. This article bridges the gap between bid acceptance and contract signing.
Article 7
Performance bond and payment bond
If the owner requires bonds, A701 specifies the form, amount, and timing. Bonds are to be delivered to the owner not later than three days following execution of the contract. A performance bond guarantees the contractor will complete the work. A payment bond guarantees the contractor will pay subcontractors and suppliers. Both protect the owner from contractor default and protect subcontractors from non-payment. Unless otherwise indicated, bonds are written on AIA A312.
Article 8
Enumeration of proposed contract documents
Lists the documents that will form the contract once executed — including A101, A201, drawings, specifications, addenda, and other exhibits. This article is where the transition from bidding documents to contract documents is made explicit. Addenda listed here become part of the contract documents.
Bidding documents vs. contract documents — a critical distinction
One of the most heavily tested concepts related to AIA A701 on the ARE 5.0 is the difference between bidding documents and contract documents.
Bidding documents
Used during the bidding phase — not part of the contract
Bidding documents include the Bidding Requirements and Proposed Contract Documents — encompassing the advertisement or invitation to bid, A701 Instructions to Bidders, the bid form, drawings, specifications, and addenda. These documents govern the bidding process but are not incorporated into the owner-contractor agreement. Once the contract is signed, A701 bidding procedures conclude.
Contract documents
Form the legally binding agreement
Contract documents include the owner-contractor agreement (A101), the general conditions (A201), the drawings, the specifications, and any addenda that modified the bidding documents. Addenda cross over — they are issued during bidding but become part of the contract documents once the contract is executed and enumerated in Article 8.
The architect’s role during bidding
A701 defines a process the architect helps administer on behalf of the owner. Understanding exactly what the architect does — and does not do — during bidding is a core CE competency.
What the architect does
Architect’s bidding responsibilities
The architect responds to bidder questions by issuing addenda, transmits addenda to bidders known by the issuing office to have received complete bidding documents, and assists the owner in evaluating bid information. The architect may assist the owner during bid opening but does not control bid acceptance or award.
What the architect does not do
Limits of the architect’s bidding authority
The architect does not independently select the contractor or award the contract — those are owner decisions. The architect may advise the owner but does not independently award the contract. The architect does not give verbal interpretations of the bidding documents that are binding — only written addenda are official. The architect does not guarantee the completeness of any contractor’s bid or provide binding interpretations except through written addenda.
Addenda — the most tested bidding concept MOST TESTED
Addenda are written or graphic instruments issued through the architect that modify or interpret the bidding documents. They are the only official way to clarify, correct, or modify the bidding documents before bids are submitted. Understanding how addenda work is essential for the ARE 5.0 CE division.
Issuing addenda
How the architect responds to bidder questions
Bidders must submit written requests for clarification to the architect at least seven days before the bid date (per A701 §3.2.2). The architect then issues an addendum transmitted to bidders known by the issuing office to have received complete bidding documents. Before submitting a bid, each Bidder must acknowledge receipt of all issued addenda (A701 §3.4.4). Only written addenda modify or interpret bidding documents in a binding manner — this ensures all bidders are working from the same information and that no bidder has an unfair advantage.
Timing of addenda
When addenda must be issued
Addenda will be issued no later than four days prior to the date for receipt of bids, except an addendum withdrawing the request for bids or one that postpones the bid date (A701 §3.4.3). If a significant addendum must be issued after that window, the owner and architect may need to extend the bid deadline.
Addenda vs. contract modifications
Before vs. after contract execution
Addenda modify the bidding documents before the contract is signed. Once the contract is executed, changes are made through Change Orders (G701) or Construction Change Directives, commonly documented using G714 — not addenda. The distinction between pre-contract addenda and post-contract change orders is frequently tested on the ARE 5.0.
Bidding process flow
This is the full sequence from document issuance to contract award — know each step, who controls it, and when A701 stops being operative.
Bidding documents vs. contract documents
This is one of the most tested distinctions on the ARE 5.0 CE division. Note that addenda cross over from one category to the other.
Is it binding? — quick reference
These scenarios appear constantly on CE questions. Know the answer immediately.
Can this happen? — interactive
Click a scenario to see whether it is allowed, binding, or not accepted under A701.
Practice scenario
Read the scenario and select your answer — then reveal the explanation.
CE Scenario
A bidder calls the architect during the bidding phase to clarify a discrepancy in the specifications. The architect provides a verbal interpretation over the phone. The bidder submits their bid based on this conversation. According to AIA A701–2018, what governs this situation?
Select the correct answer:
Who has authority? — interactive matrix
A core CE competency: knowing which party controls each decision during bidding. Click any row to see the reasoning.
Before vs. after contract execution
One of the most reliable ways to eliminate wrong answers on CE: identify which side of contract execution the scenario falls on, then apply the right document.
NCARB trap difficulty — by topic
These are the concepts most likely to appear as distractors on CE. Click any row to see the key rule.
Who communicates with whom during bidding?
A common source of CE wrong answers is confusing which parties communicate directly during bidding. This diagram shows the correct relationships under A701.
Common exam traps
- A701 is a bidding document — it is not part of the contract documents. Once the contract is signed, the A701 bidding phase concludes.
- Only written addenda modify or interpret bidding documents in a binding manner — verbal answers from the architect carry no weight and bidders shall not rely on them.
- Addenda are transmitted to bidders known by the issuing office to have received complete bidding documents — not automatically to every prospective bidder.
- The owner — not the architect — accepts or rejects bids and awards the contract.
- The owner has the right to reject any or all bids and is not required to accept the lowest bid.
- Bids submitted after the date and time for receipt of bids, or at an incorrect place, will not be accepted — A701 §4.3.3 states late bids will not be accepted.
- Addenda issued during bidding do become part of the contract documents once the contract is executed and enumerated in Article 8.
- Bid security may be retained while an award is under consideration and returned according to A701’s stated conditions — it is not automatically returned to all unsuccessful bidders immediately after opening.
- Substitution requests must be submitted in writing at least ten days before the bid date — the burden of proof is on the proposer, and any approved substitution must be issued via addendum.
Exam tip
When an ARE 5.0 CE question involves the bidding phase, ask two things: first, who is acting — the owner, the architect, or the contractor — and what authority does that party have under A701? Second, is the document in question a bidding document or a contract document? Those two questions will eliminate most wrong answers on bidding-related CE questions.
Remember: addenda are the formal communication tool used to modify or interpret bidding documents during bidding. Any clarification, correction, or scope change during the bidding period must be issued as a written addendum — modifications made in any other manner shall not be binding.
NCARB Thinking Process — click to expand
When you see a bidding-phase CE question, ask these four questions in order:
- Is the communication verbal or written? → Only written addenda modify or interpret bidding documents in a binding manner.
- Was an addendum issued? → If not, the information is not binding regardless of source.
- Was the information distributed through formal addenda? → Addenda are transmitted to bidders known by the issuing office to have received complete bidding documents.
- Is the issue in the bidding phase or contract administration? → A701 applies to bidding only; A201 governs construction.
Phase transition — where A701 ends
A701 governs only the bidding phase. Understanding when one document hands off to the next is a core ARE 5.0 exam concept.
Typical CE wrong answer logic
NCARB wrong answers follow predictable patterns. Learn to spot them before you even read the choices.
Pattern 1
Architect does owner’s job
Wrong answers give the architect authority to award contracts, reject bids, or negotiate the contract sum — all owner decisions.
Pattern 2
Verbal = binding
Wrong answers treat phone calls, emails, or site visits as official interpretations. Only written addenda are binding during bidding.
Pattern 3
A701 governs construction
Wrong answers apply A701 rules after contract execution. A701 bidding procedures conclude when A101 is signed — A201 governs what follows.
Pattern 4
Addenda = change orders
Wrong answers confuse pre-contract addenda with post-contract change orders (G701) or CCDs (G714). Different documents, different phases.
What changes after A101 is signed?
The moment A101 is executed, the project shifts phases entirely. Know exactly what flips.
How A701 relates to other AIA documents
A701 is used alongside other bidding documents — the invitation to bid, the bid form, and the project manual containing drawings and specifications. Article 8 of A701 enumerates the proposed contract documents — A101, A201, drawings, specifications, and addenda — establishing exactly what will form the binding contract once executed. Once the bidding phase is complete and the owner signs A101 with the selected contractor, A701 bidding procedures conclude. From that point forward, A201 governs the construction process, A101 governs the financial terms, and G-series forms are used to administer the contract. A701 is the starting line — it sets the rules for how the race begins, but it does not follow the project through construction.
Frequently asked questions — AIA A701 and ARE 5.0
Is A701 part of the contract documents? +
No. A701 governs bidding procedures and is part of the bidding documents — not the executed owner-contractor agreement. Once A101 is signed, A701 bidding procedures conclude. Addenda are the one exception: they are issued during bidding but become part of the contract documents once enumerated in Article 8.
What is the most tested A701 topic on the ARE 5.0? +
Addenda and the distinction between verbal clarifications and binding written interpretations are the most frequently tested A701 concepts on the CE division. The key rule: only written addenda modify or interpret bidding documents in a binding manner. Verbal answers from the architect, however accurate, are not binding on bidders (A701 §3.2.3).
When does A701 stop applying? +
A701 governs only the bidding phase. Once A101 is executed between the owner and contractor, A701 bidding procedures conclude. From that point forward, A201 governs construction administration, A101 governs the financial terms, and G-series forms are used to administer changes, payments, and directives.
Who awards the contract under A701? +
The owner awards the contract. The architect may assist the owner in evaluating bids and reviewing bid information, but the decision to accept or reject bids and award the contract belongs exclusively to the owner. This is a frequently tested distinction on the ARE 5.0 CE division.
Do addenda become part of the contract? +
Yes — this is one of the most important crossover concepts in A701. Addenda are issued during the bidding phase as bidding documents. Once the contract is executed, addenda enumerated in Article 8 become part of the contract documents. They travel from the bidding world into the contract world at the moment A101 is signed.
Can the owner reject all bids? +
Yes. Under A701 §5.2, the owner has the right to reject any or all bids. The owner is not required to accept the lowest bid.
What is the difference between a responsive and responsible bidder? +
A responsive bid complies with the bidding requirements — submitted on the correct form, by the deadline, with all required information. A responsible bidder has the qualifications, experience, and financial capacity to perform the work. Both conditions must be satisfied for a bid to be considered for award. A bid can be responsive but the bidder may still be rejected if found not responsible.