Which statement accurately describes the relationship of AIA C401 to B101?

• A. The C401 uses a completely different standard of care from B101.
• B. The consultant cannot own the copyright to drawings.
• C. The consultant must buy the same insurance as the architect, enjoys the standard of care, owns the copyright to her drawings, and must redesign her portion for free if over budget without owner funding.
• D. The consultant's deliverables are not defined by the project portion.

Answer: (C)

AIA C401 is the architect–consultant agreement that aligns the consultant’s role with the owner–architect contract (B101). It sets terms that create a consistent framework for delivering the project: the consultant’s standard of care is the same as the architect’s, the consultant carries professional liability insurance at a level comparable to the architect, and the consultant owns the copyright to their drawings while granting the owner a license to use them for the project.

Ownership of the consultant’s drawings is intentional—the consultant owns the copyright, not the owner, but the project allows use rights necessary to complete the work. The deliverables are defined by the scope of the consultant’s portion of the project, ensuring clarity on what the consultant is responsible for delivering. There is also a provision that if the project runs over budget and there is no owner funding to adjust, the consultant may be required to redesign their portion at no additional cost to the owner. This combination of expectations is what makes this option the best description of the relationship between C401 and B101.

The other statements misstate the relationship: the standard of care is not completely different from B101, ownership of drawings is not restricted to the owner, and deliverables are indeed defined by the consultant’s project portion.