Standard Agreement expected to benefit consulting engineers

The Standard Agreement provides  equitable, consistent terms and conditions for both clients and consulting engineers.

An agreement between the Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO) and the Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) aims to help Ontario’s 444 municipalities practice a fair procurement process by outlining equitable, consistent terms and conditions for both clients and consulting engineers.

“The standard agreement is built on the principles of partnership and fairness. It symbolizes a collaborative approach to creating a favourable business environment for both clients and consulting engineers,” said Barry Steinberg, P. Eng, chief executive officer of Consulting Engineers of Ontario.

The consulting engineering sector is one of few professional service providers that allow clients to prescribe the terms and conditions under which they offer their services. In response, the two associations have been working together to review and update the 2006 version of the MEA/CEO Agreement for Engineering Services so that municipalities can use a contract that is up-to-date with the present business landscape.

The Standard Client/Engineer Agreement for Professional Consulting Services. is available for download on the CEO and MEA websites.