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STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE (SPP)

- Promulgated as part of the IRR of R.A. 9266, and to be known hereinafter as the SPP
Documents (replacing the 1979 UAP Docs. 201 through 209
- required document under Section 41 of RA 9266

A. GENERAL DEFINITIONS
1. Architect – Registered and Licensed Architect (RLA), natural person with Certificate of
Registration (CoR) and Professional Identification Card (PIC) (renewable every 3 years), can
also refer to:
o Architect-of-Record (AOR)
o Architect in charge of Construction (AICC)
o Consulting Architect (CA)
2. Architectural Firm (AF) – only juridical person under Philippine law and
jurisprudence
o sole proprietorship for individual practice – registered to DTI
o professional partnership or architectural corporation – registered with SEC
and PRC
INTERCHANGEABLE TERMS
▪ Architect= Architectural Firm
▪ Client= Owner= Project Proponent
▪ Contractor= General Contractor= Constructor= Builder
▪ Bid= Tender

B. ACRONYMS
ADC- Architectural Design Competition
PRC- Professional Regulation Commission
PRBoA- Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture
RLA- Registered and Licensed Architect

C. GENERAL NOTES ON THE SELECTION OF THE ARCHITECT (part of IRR of RA 9266,

replacing the 1979 UAP Doc 208)

Methods of Selection
o Direct Selection – for relatively small project, based on reputation, personal
or recommendations (of former clients or other architects)
o Comparative Selection – conducted by committees of institutions,
corporations, or public agencies
1. Invitation – client sends invitation and Terms of Reference based
on the Design Brief prepared by another architect.
2. Pre-qualification – Architects or AFs submit qualification
information and expertise (i.e., resume or portfolio)
3. Interview – architect explains his design methodology (not design)
4. Verification – client visits architect’s buildings or former clients
5. Evaluation and Ranking – through their own procedure
6. Negotiation – explanation to the client the scope of services and
fees (as prescribed under Architect’s Guidelines)
o Architectural Design Competition (ADC) – used for civic or monumental
projects (idea competition, design competition or design-build competition)
- Advantages – open to RLAs and AFs
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-Disadvantages – expensive and time-consuming; may

discourage participants; fraud clients/competitions
- Procedure – assisted by IAPOA; follows Archt’s Guidelines
- Participants – Sponsor/Client; Competitors (RLAs; foreign
architects with TSP from PRC, work permit from DOLE and
with local counterpart); Professional Adviser (who are RLA
and IAPOA members), Jury (at least 5 members, architect &
sponsor/client).
Methods of Compensation
- This will be covered by the respective types of services.

SPP Document 201 – SPP on Pre-Design Services

A. Introduction – expanding services of architect and involving architects in the earliest stages
of the project
B. Scope of Pre-Design Services – broad line of architectural services
a. Consultation –
i. oral/written advice and direction of contemplated projects
ii. attend conferences of contemplated projects
iii. evaluations and appraisals of contemplated projects
b. Pre-feasibility Studies – preliminary studies with secondary data.
i. procurement, analysis, and use of secondary data for early decision-
makingof the client
c. Feasibility Studies – involves primary data, analysis of pre-feasibility studies
i. forecasting the performance of the project over time by gathering and
analyzing primary data
d. Site Selection and Analysis
i. formulation of site criteria
ii. assistance in site evaluation
iii. determination of the most appropriate site
e. Site Utilization and Land-Use Studies
i. identification of site’s potentials and utilization considering the surrounding
area and development controls
f. Architectural Research
i. conducting and assembling primary and secondary research
g. Architectural Programming
i. analytical problem-seeking process to produce a statement and solution
ii. space program with characteristics of the spaces, cost etc.
h. Space Planning
i. sizing, configuration and assembling of spaces (done with primary data
gathering such as interviews, consultations, interfaces, FGDs, space planning
surveys, space audit etc.)
i. Space Management Studies
i. analysis of the space requirements of the project
ii. formulating space program to be the basis of architectural design/plan
j. Value Management Studies – applied in the cost management studies
i. achieving an unimpaired program, system or design at minimum cost with
same performance
k. Design Brief Preparation
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i. stating the Terms of Reference (ToR) including concepts, objectives and

other requirements to bid out architectural services
l. Promotional Services – used for developing and generating financial support and
acceptance from governing agencies or public
i. architect acts as an agent by conducting and coordinating activities for the
promotion of the project (professional representative of the owner)
C. Manner of Providing Services
a. After initial meeting/conversation/correspondence with the Client, the architect
submits proposal for the pre-design services stating: (1) scope of work, (2) manner
of payment, (3) owner’s responsibilities and (4) other conditions
b. Rendering services by:
i. as individual architect
ii. own staff (an architect with as staff with specialization?)
iii. association, consultation, or networking (consultation to other firms,
underextended terms of the owner-architect agreement)
D. Method of Compensation – compensation for pre-design services may be based on one or
more of the following:
a. Multiple of Direct Personnel Expenses – applicable only to non-creative works
(accounting, secretarial, research, data gathering, preparation of reports etc.)
o based on technical hours spent, not creative work
Direct Cost = AN + CN + TN

- A = Architect’s Rate/Hour
- C = Consultant’s Rate/Hour
- T = Technical Staff or Researchers’ Rate/Hour
- AN, CN, TN = rate x number of hours worked
Fee = Direct Cost x M

- M = Multiplier for head and reasonable profit (1.5 to 2.5

depending on architect’s setup, expertise, and complexity of
the project)
Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fee + R

- R = reimbursable expenses such as housing, transportation

and living allowance of consultants or technical staff (if
assigned to places over 100km from the area of operation),
cost of printing
- of extra set of drawings, overseas and long-distance calls,
technical or laboratory tests, licenses, fees, taxes and similar
cost items needed by the project.
b. Professional Fee + Expenses – frequently used in continuous series of projects
Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fixed Sum + Reimbursement

o Fixed Sum = professional fee

c. Lump Sum or Fixed Fee – may be for government projects due to paperwork and
time-consuming.
d. Per Diem (per day), Honorarium + Reimbursable Expenses – examples are (1)
attending project-related meetings, conferences, or trips, (2) conducting
ocular
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inspection of possible project sites, (3) conferring with others regarding prospective
investments or ventures and the likes.
Total Payment = Per Diem/Honorarium + Reimbursement

oPer Diem – per day payment

oHonorarium – voluntary payment (no charge was set)
oReimbursement – out-of-pocket expenses such as travel,
accommodations, and subsistence
e. Mixed Methods of Compensation – take note, it can be more than one method of
compensation for one project

SPP Document 202 – SPP on Regular Design Services

A. Applicability
a. applicable to individual (RLAs) and group practice (sole proprietorship, partnership
or corporation)
b. applicable to foreign architects complying with Section 38 of RA 9266, board
resolutions etc. Requirements are:
i. Temporary/Special Permit (TSP) from PRC and DOLE
ii. Work Permit from DOLE
iii. local counterpart who is RLA
c. not applicable to BPO and KPO providing services for overseas clients unless they
are registered architectural firms
d. outputs discussed here can be increased/expanded
REGULAR DESIGN SERVICES OF AN ARCHITECT
In regular practice,
i. architects act as an adviser and/or representative and translates the
owner’s requirements
ii. regular services start at the project inception, from analysis and study of the
owner’s needs, preparation for the instruments of the service and
supervision during project implementation, and ends only in the turn-over
of the completed project to the owner
B. Scope of Services
a. Project Definition Phase – owner defines the project requirements; architects
inform about the technical requirements and the professional fees:
i. consult and confirm the conceptual framework and related requirements
ii. gathering relevant information and data for project definition including
scope of architect’s work
iii. refining space requirements and translating into an architectural program
iv. prepares initial probable construction cost
b. Schematic Design Phase – preparation of schematic design studies from Project
Definition Phase leading to conceptual plans (meaning schematic and conceptual
drawings)
i. evaluation of owner’s program, schedule, budget, site and delivery methods
ii. prepares initial line drawings showing design solutions and general
description (for approval of the owner)
iii. submits Statement of the Probable Project Construction Cost (SPPCC) based
on current cost parameters
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c. Design Development Phase – preparation of drawings from approved schematics

and conceptual plans
i. Design Development documents (plans, elevations, section and other
drawings)
ii. outline specifications to fix and illustrate the size and character of the entire
project as to type of materials, type of structural, electrical, mechanical,
sanitary, electronic and communication systems.
iii. diagrammatic layout of construction systems
iv. updated SPPCC
d. Contract Document Phase – preparation of drawings from approved Design
Development Documents
i. preparation of complete contract documents (involving the preparations of
the other professionals)
ii. Technical Specifications for the type and quality of the materials, finish,
manner of construction and general conditions
iii. submits 7 sets of construction drawings and technical specifications for the
purpose of building permit
iv. updated SPPCC
v. assists owner in filing the required documents
e. Bidding or Negotiation Phase
i. In this phase, the architect must:
o preparation of the bid documents such as forms for contract letting,
documents for construction, forms for invitation and instruction to
bidders, forms for bidder’s proposals, general /specific conditions of
contract, etc.
o assists the Owner from the early stage of establishing a list of
prospective contractors to awarding of the construction contract
ii. For competitive bids/procurements, the architect:
o furnishes complete set of bid documents for as many bidders as
possible
- documents are loaned to bidders at appropriate amount
- bid documents are intellectual property, returned (a bond
may be required), reproduction is not allowed
- documents used by the purpose agreed with the owner
o helps in organizing and conducting pre-bid conference
o responds to questions from bidders
o assists owner in getting the proposals from contractors, analyzes bid
results and prepares abstract of bids, notice of award, notice to
proceed and other construction contracts.
iii. For negotiated contracts, similar functions as with competitive bidding but
negotiated only with one contractor
f. Construction Phase – architects do the following:
i. decision making on claims of the owner and contractor on execution,
progress of interpretation of construction documents
ii. prepares change orders, gathers and turns over to the Owner written
guarantee required of the Contractor and Sub-Contractors.
iii. periodic visits to the project site for inspection of progress, quality and
compliance to the contract documents
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o note: architect is not required to supervise on 8-hour on-site and

shall not be responsible for the failures of contractor to carry-out
the contract documents.
o note: architect reports defects and deficiencies in the work of
contractor and shall condemn failures to conform to the contract
documents
iv. determine the amount owing and due to the contractor, issues Certificates
of Payment
o Certificates of Payment – certification to the Client that the work
progressed, sufficient and in accordance to the contract documents
(to the architect’s best knowledge)
v. for full-time supervision, separate full-time supervisor must be hired and
agreed upon by the Owner and the Architect (complying to the SPP
Document on Full-Time Supervision). If not separate, the services and fees
shall comply separately to the SPP Document on Full-Time Supervision.
C. Manner of Providing Services
a. Single Contract – between architect and owner with sub-consultancy contracts
between the architect and other allied professionals
b. Separate Contract – separate contracts between architects, engineers and allied
professionals to the owner
i. Note: professional and civil liabilities of each State-regulated professional
remain separate in both contracts.
D. Project Classification – based on these groupings, the scale of charges shall be prescribed in
the Architect’s Guidelines.
1. Group 1 – simplest utilization and character such as:
i. Armories, Bakeries, Habitable Agricultural Buildings, Freight Facilities,
Hangars, Industrial Buildings, Manufacturing/Industrial Plants, Parking
Structures, Printing Plants, Public Markets, Service Garages, Simple Loft-
Type Buildings, Warehouses, Packaging and Processing Plants, other similar
utilization
b. Group 2 – moderate complexity of plan or design such as:
i. Art galleries; Exhibition Halls & Display Structures; Showrooms/Service
Centers
ii. Banks Exchange and other Buildings; Financial Institutions.
Comment: iii. Bowlodromes; Park, Playground and Open-Air Recreational Facilities; Private
To remember Group 1 structures,
remember that the structures do not
Clubs; Racetracks
have any interior walls or partitions. iv. Call Centers; Office Buildings/Office Condominium; Publishing Plants
v. Churches and Religious Facilities; Convents, Monasteries and Seminaries
vi. City/Town Halls and Civic Centers; Correctional and Detention Facilities;
Court Houses/Hall of Justice; Fire Stations; Libraries; Police Stations; Postal
Facilities.
vii. College Buildings; Schools
viii. Dormitories; Motels and Apartels; Multi-storey Apartments; Residential
Condominiums; Services Apartments.
ix. Nursing Homes; Welfare Buildings
x. Laundries and Cleaning Facilities; Malls and Mall Complexes;
Restaurants/Fastfood Stores; Retail/Wholesale Stores; Shopping Centers;
Specialty Shops; Super Markets/Hyper-markets
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xi. Mixed-use Buildings

c. Group 3 – exceptional character and complexity of plan or design such as:
i. Aquariums; Marinas and Resort Complexes;
ii. Nuclear Facilities; Laboratories and Testing Facilities; Research Facilities
iii. Auditoriums; Gymnasiums; Observatories; Stadia; Theaters and Similar
Facilities
iv. Airports/Wet & Dry Port Terminals; Transportation Facilities and Systems
v. Breweries; Cold Storage Facilities
vi. Telecommunication Buildings
vii. Hospitals and Medical Buildings; Medical Arts Offices & Clinics; Mental
Institutions; Public Health Centers; Veterinary Hospitals
viii. Hotels
ix. Mortuaries
d. Group 4 – Residences (single-detached; single-attached or duplex; rowhouses or
shophouses, small apartment houses and townhouses)
e. Group 5 – monumental buildings and other facilities such as:
i. Exposition & Fair Buildings; Mausoleums, Memorials and Monuments;
Specialized decorative buildings; Museums; Buildings of Similar nature or
use
f. Group 6 – repetitive projects (contract drawings are reused for repetitive
construction without amending the drawing and specifications)
g. Group 7 – housing projects (construction of several residential units on single site)
with use of one (1) set of plans or design, specifications and related documents
h. Group 8 – extensive detail projects such as:
i. built-in components or elements, built-in equipment, special fittings,
screens, counters, architectural interiors (AI) and development planning
and/or design
i. Group 9 – alterations, renovations, rehabilitations, retrofit and expansion/additions
to existing buildings belonging to Group 1 to 5
j. Group 10 – engaged in rendering opinion or give advice, clarifications or explanation
on technical matters pertaining to architectural works.
E. Method of Compensation – can be one or more of the following:
a. Percentage (%) of the Project Construction Cost (PCC) – detailed in Architect’s
Guidelines
b. Multiple of Direct Personnel Expenses – applicable only to non-creative works
(accounting, secretarial, research, data gathering, preparation of reports etc.)
o based on technical hours spent, not creative work
Direct Cost = AN + CN + TN

- A = Architect’s Rate/Hour
- C = Consultant’s Rate/Hour
- T = Technical Staff or Researchers’ Rate/Hour
- AN, CN, TN = rate x number of hours worked
Fee = Direct Cost x M

- M = Multiplier for head and reasonable profit (1.5 to 2.5

depending on architect’s setup, expertise and complexity of
the project)
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Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fee + R

-R = reimbursable expenses such as housing, transportation

and living allowance of consultants or technical staff (if
assigned to places over 100km from the area of operation),
cost of printing of extra set of drawings, overseas and long-
distance calls, technical or laboratory tests, licenses, fees,
taxes, and similar cost items needed by the project.
c. Professional Fee + Expenses – frequently used in continuous series of projects
Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fixed Sum + Reimbursement

o Fixed Sum = professional fee

d. Lump Sum or Fixed Fee – may be for government projects due to paperwork and
time-consuming.
e. Per Diem (per day), Honorarium + Reimbursable Expenses – examples are (1)
attending project-related meetings, conferences, or trips, (2) conducting ocular
inspection of possible project sites, (3) conferring with others regarding prospective
investments or ventures and the likes.
Total Payment = Per Diem/Honorarium + Reimbursement

o Per Diem – per day payment

o Honorarium – voluntary payment (no charge was set)
o Reimbursement – out-of-pocket expenses such as travel,
accommodations, and subsistence
f. Mixed Methods of Compensation – take note, it can be more than one method of
compensation for one project
F. Owner’s Responsibilities
a. provide full information as to his requirements for the Project
b. when necessary, designate a representative authorized on his behalf
c. prompt examination and decisions pertaining to documents to avoid unreasonable
delay. The owner should issue orders to the General Contractor only through the
architect.
d. furnish or direct the architect (at owner’s expense) to:
i. obtain complete and adequate survey of the site and its utilities
ii. zoning compliances, clearances, deed/s of restrictions, encumbrances and
annotations to titles, association guidelines and standards,
iii. and soil investigations/tests, borings and test pits necessary for determining
soil and sub-soil conditions
e. prompt payment to the professionals
f. pay for the design & consulting services (acoustics, communication, electronic and
other specialty systems)
g. arrange and pay for required legal, auditing, insurance, counseling & other services
h. pay for reimbursable expenses in the project in Section 7 i.e. taxes or VAT
i. prompt notice about anything that may impair the project implementation
G. Other Conditions on Services
a. Conditions for the Architect’s Fee – based on Project Construction Cost. Additional
service is additional compensation.
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b. Other Services – acoustic and illumination engineers/specialists, mural painters,

sculptors, and other service providers as recommended by the architect
i. must be approved by the owner
ii. cost includes the service fees of the specialists + coordination fee (for the
architect)
c. Scale Models, 3D Models and Walk-Thru Presentations – if necessary, architect
recommends while the owner approves
i. fee includes the service fee + coordination fee (for the architect)
d. Per Diem and Travelling Expenses – “Per diem + living + travel expenses” chargeable
to the owner under the following conditions:
i. the performed services is more than 50km from established architect’s
office (from his letterhead)
e. Extra Sets of Contract Documents – owner pays for additional set of contract
documents
f. Change/s Ordered by the Owner – if additional professional services due to changes
ordered by owner after approval, owner pays for the extra time, resources/drafting,
or other expenses.
g. Work Suspended or Abandoned – payment corresponds to the amount due at the
stage of suspension or abandonment of the work
o note: once the architect prepared architectural plans/designs, specifications
and other construction documents for the General Contractor, he has
completed the Detailed Design and Contract Documents Phase of his
services, which is equivalent to 90% of his work. If the owner fails to
implement the project, the architect is entitled to receive 90% of the
Architect’s fee.
h. Different Periods of Construction
o If construction period is increased (portions are erected at different
periods of time), charges pertaining to services rendered during the
construction phase shall be adjusted proportionately. When construction
is suspended for more than 6 months, the fee for the remaining works
shall be doubled.
i. Services of Specialist Consultants – If owner requires services of specialist
consultants, they shall be engaged with the consent of the Architect, and with
separate fee from the architect’s fee.
j. Separate Services – the following services shall be compensated separately based
on SPP Document 203:
i. design of movable or fixed pieces of cabinets and other architectural interior
(AI) elements
ii. site development plan (SDP)
iii. urban design elements
iv. other items of similar nature
k. Fulltime Construction Supervision – recommended by the Architect and approved
by the Owner, full-time construction supervisors will be paid by the Owner
i. If no Project / Construction Manager is present, the full-time construction
supervisor shall be under the technical control and supervision of the
Architect (with periodic report to the owner and the architect)
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l. Estimates – any SPPCC or any Cost Estimate submitted by the Architect can attain
only a certain degree of accuracy and without professional responsibility unless
glaring errors or discrepancies are clearly evident.
m. Government Taxes and Services – Architect’s Fee is a net amount (inclusive of any
tax from the national/LGUs imposed on the architect but exclusive of income tax)
n. Ownership of Documents – all drawings and contract documents signed and sealed
are intellectual property and documents of the Architect (implemented or not), not
to be reproduced or used in other work unless under written agreement with the
Architect (Section 33 of RA 9266)
o. Cost Records
i. During construction, owner shall furnish the Architect a copy of the records
of expenses incurred
ii. After construction, owner shall furnish the Architect a copy of the summary
of all cost of labor, services, materials, equipment, fixtures and all items
used at and for the completion of the construction
p. Design and Placement of Signs
i. size, design, and contents of all signboards of the contractors, jobbers,
dealers placed at the site during construction – for approval of the architect
ii. size and design of all signboards, letterings, directories and display boards
placed on the exterior or public areas attached to the building project shall
be consulted to the architect (for safety and aesthetics)
q. Project Construction Cost (PCC) – cost of the completed building including:
i. structure, plumbing/sanitary and electrical fixtures, mechanical equipment,
elevators, escalators, air-conditioning system, fire protection system, alarm
and clock system
ii. cost of materials and labor for other items such as architectural interiors (AI)
and site development plan elements
iii. excluding professional and consultancy fees
iv. NOTE: cost of materials and labor shall be computed on current/fair market
value (even if furnished by the owner below its market cost)
r. Project Development Cost (PDC) – PCC + all professional fees and other fees
(i.e.,permits, clearances and utilities, site acquisition cost etc.)

SPP Document 203 – SPP on Specialized Architectural Services

A. Introduction – time and technology made specialized services; architectural services is

blending of creativity and technology; specialized architectural services deal with enhancing
architectural interiors and exterior components; architect’s responsibility to enhance lives
and adhere to standards; architectural plan and design is under SPP Document 202;
o Design services under specialized architectural services:
i. Architectural Interiors (AI), Acoustic Design, Architectural Lighting and
Layout Design,
ii. Site Development Planning (SDP), Site and Physical Planning Services
(including Master Development Plan, Subdivision Planning and Urban
Design), Comprehensive Development Planning, Historic and Cultural
Heritage Conservation and Planning,
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iii. Security Evaluation and Planning, Facilities Maintenance Support, Building

Systems Design, Building Testing and Commissioning, Building Environment
Certification
iv. Forensic Architecture, Building Appraisal, Structural Conceptualization,
Preliminary Services, Contract Documentation and Review, Post-Design
Services (including Construction Management Services), Dispute Avoidance
and Resolution, Architectural Research Methods, Special Building/Facility
Planning and Design, Building Components, Management of Architectural
Comment:
Practices
As of 2021, there is no o Consulting Architect (CA) – only RLAs who may have another professional license or
program for issuing
“specialist certificates”. may have a valid specialist certificate issued by PRBoA, IAPOA or PRC
o For SPP Document 203, “Architect” refers to “Consulting Architect”
B. Architectural Interiors (AI) – detailed planning and design of the indoor/enclosed areas of
any proposed building/structure, including retrofit, renovation, rehabilitation or expansion
of work which shall cover all architectural and utility aspects, including architectural lay-
outing of all building engineering systems
i. Note: Architect undertaking professional Architectural Interior Services must
be sufficiently experienced in the planning and detailing of AI elements
o Scope of Services – architect develops the design by determining the size and
interrelationship of interior spaces, laying out the furniture, movables, equipment,
built-ins, and fixtures to support the required activities, thus making both the
exterior and interior spaces contribute to the total concept. The design of the
architectural interiors (AI) contributes to the physical, visual, intellectual and
emotional comforts of the intended end-users. As an architectural interiors
specialist, the Architect:
i. prescribes space plans, stacking diagram/sections and computations of
areas for the different activities and spaces to be integrated in a building
project.
ii. lays out and prescribe furniture/built-ins/equipment for the project and
prepares specifications of AI components including all floor/wall/ceiling
finishes, doors and partition systems, hardware, modular or ready-
assembled furniture pieces/systems, equipment, furnishings, built-ins,
fixtures, signages and graphic devices.
iii. assists the client in conducting bids or negotiations with contractors,
subcontractors and suppliers of materials, furniture, equipment, fixtures etc.
iv. checks/approves samples of materials and shop drawings of AI components
v. reviews and approves billings of AI components
vi. conducts final inspection and approves installed AI components etc.
o Manner of Providing Services – contract with the owner may be two ways:
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Method of Compensation – shall be in accordance with Architect’s Guidelines
i. For extensive detailing of AI components (such as custom floor, wall, ceiling
construction and finishes, cabinet design, built-in components, equipment
and special fittings), Architect’s fee shall be percentage of AI work total
cost.
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ii. The fee for Engineering and/or Specialist Consultants (SCs) working with the
architect or hired separately by the client, the fee shall be separate from the
architect’s fee.
C. Acoustic Design Services – involving detailed planning and design to control sound
transmission considering the architectural concept and project requirements (in cooperation
with the Architect which is the prime professional hired by the owner).
o Scope of Services - the consulting architect for acoustic design services shall:
i. prepare drawings and specifications for acoustic design, treatment, sound
control & reinforcement, sound absorption, reflectance, insulation etc.
ii. assists the owner/client in bidding out the work or in negotiating with a
specialty sub-contractor
iii. checks and approves samples of materials and equipment
iv. conducts final inspection of work and equipment
v. assists owner/client in evaluating the amount due the subcontractor.
o Manner of Providing Services – architect can enter the contract with owner in two
possible ways:
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Methods of Compensation – architect’s fee depends on the complexity of the
project and based on Architect’s Guidelines, Specialist Consultants (SCs) hired by the
owner shall be paid separately
D. Architectural Lighting Layout and Design – detailed planning and design of light
transmission, timing and control for compatibility with the architectural concept.
o Scope of Services – as a specialist for lighting, the architect must:
i. prepares the drawings and specifications for lighting design, illumination,
fixture placement, efficiency, energy considerations etc.
ii. assists the owner/client in bidding or negotiation w/ specialty subcontractor
iii. checks and approves samples of materials and fixtures
iv. conducts final inspection of work and fixtures
v. assists owner/client in evaluating the amount due to the sub-contractor
o Manner of Providing Services:
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Methods of Compensation – architect’s fee depends on the complexity of the
project and based on Architect’s Guidelines, Specialist Consultants (SCs) hired by the
owner shall be paid separately (“Cost of the Work” is total cost of fixtures and
accessories installed)
E. Site Development Planning (SDP) Services – buildings and the host environment shall act as
one, considering the relationships of the surrounding areas. Ordinarily, the landscaping
layout of small building projects could be done by an Architects as part of the SDP design.
For large scale, the Architect must hire other RLPs as qualified Specialist Consultants (SCs).
o Scope of Services – the building design must complement the design of the
surroundings appropriately. For the well-balanced design of the environment of a
building, the Specialist Architect must:
i. conceptualize the entire site development plan (SDP) including generic
scope of civil works and the general scope of softscape and hardscape
ii. conceptualize the specifications for the needed civil works and utility lines.
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iii. assists client in bidding or negotiating with landscape, waterscape, rock

formation contractors, etc. but mainly when no SC is available.
o Manner of Providing Services:
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Manner of Compensation
i. Architect’s Fee (as SC) – depend on the estimated cost of the civil works and
landscaping works i.e. hardscape and softscape, depending on the
magnitude and complexity of the project, and in accordance to the
Architect’s Guidelines. Take note: the fee increases if the architect is also an
RLP (such as Landscape Architect) and suitably experienced.
ii. If owner hires separate Landscape Architect, the Specialist Consultant shall
be separately paid.
F. Site and Physical Planning (including Master Development Planning, Subdivision Planning,
and Urban Design Planning) Services
o Introduction
i. Physical Planning – orderly arrangement of vertical structures, horizontal
developments like ROWs, open spaces and activity spaces, considering the
immediate surroundings, interrelationship of structures and the impact on
the neighboring areas.
ii. Physical planning is beyond the study of human behavior and activities and
must undertake an in-depth study of the host site’s economic systems, laws
and regulations, tax structure, infrastructure, utilities, and all other
components.
o Scope of the Project
i. All the ideas and concepts must be translated into physical plans (multi-
dimensional view to a 2-dimensional physical plan). The architect becomes
the logical prime professional directing the team with the required physical
planning work.
ii. Physical planning is concerned with the general quality of the settings for
people and their activities, composite arrangement of buildings and their
requisite amenities, facilities, services and utilities.
iii. The Architect (as SC) will act as the Lead Professional when other services is
required for the project (performed by other professionals) such as
environmental studies, feasibility studies, market analysis,
access/movement systems, impact analysis and others
iv. Depending on the complexity of the project, the Architect (SC) may hire
additional (SCs) for additional expert advice and must be separately paid by
the owner.
v. When the Architect (SC) is commissioned to do physical planning for
buildings sites such as Industrial Estates, Commercial, Religious, Institutional
and Government/Civic Centers, Sports Complexes, Tourist Centers/Tourism
Estates/Resorts, Amusement Parks, Educational Facilities, Residential and
Housing Subdivisions and the like, the Architect (SC):
1. confers with the owner/client on project requirements, secure
primary and secondary data to generate reliable projects and
analyses for the basis of the physical plans/designs
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2. examines laws, ordinances, rules and regulations affecting the

project (such as codes searches) and considers the best industry
practice applicable
3. prepares framework and conceptual master development plans
(FRDPs and CMDPs) and report/s from relevant information
gathered by other disciplines.
4. prepares Preliminary up to Detailed Master Development Plans
(PMDPs/DMDPs) showing the physical layout/distribution of areas,
road network/s, vehicular and pedestrian movement/access
systems, legal easements, basic utility layouts/corridors, landscape
layouts, lot pad elevations, lot primacy matrices, deed of restrictions
(DoR), development standards and guidelines (DSG), lot counts and
typology, land use tabulations, building footprints, roof-prints,
basement level-prints, view corridors, building cast shadow
projections and/or reflected light/hear projections from buildings,
etc. and presents the same to the Owner/Client, the Government
and at public consultations as needed.
5. prepares the SPPCC for the total physical development.
6. undertakes modifications, revision and changes as required by the
owner and the project within the engagement period
7. prepares the finalized plans, reports and specifications needed for
the approval by Owner/Client or proper government agencies
concerned.
8. prepares the phasing of the project with the concurrence of the
owner/client.
9. prepares Project Cost Estimates (PCE) based on current cost
parameters.
o Manner of Providing Services
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Manner of Compensation – in accordance with the Architect’s Guidelines
G. Comprehensive Development Planning (CDP) Services
o based on the concept of expanded physical planning services handling the
components for a Master Development Plan (from primary data gathering,
formulation of MDP and preparation of the Environmental Impact
Assessment/Statement)
o CDP services may emphasize on the non-physical/non-engineering components of
the development plan (financial, economic/market demand/forecast etc.) In
contrast, MDP services represent the physical planning and engineering components
of the development plan which is the translation of the initial efforts in the CDP.
o Architects for these services must be suitably trained and experienced because it
cuts across various disciplines.
o The Consulting Architect for this service considers the environment, an architect
(particularly if also a EnP) with commitment, suitable training and experience, is
qualified to lead the team offering CDP Services.
o Scope of Services
i. If the Architect is qualified and also an Environmental Planner, the services
may include:
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1. Physical Component – land use and the changes in the physical

environment (represented mainly MDP)
2. Economic Component – nation’s assets and its management.
3. Socio-Cultural Component – people, living conditions and the
seeking ways to ameliorate it.
4. Transport Component – road and transit networks, land-sea-air
linkages, the movement of people and goods.
5. Legal and Administrative – relationship of the development
proposals and policies to existing laws.
ii. Comprehensive Development Planning calls for the detailed study of
physical, social, economic and administrative components and as such
requires the expertise and knowledge of Specialist Consultants (SCs)
iii. When an architect is commissioned to do a Comprehensive Development
Planning effort, he performs the following:
1. Identifies existing land use, resources, social behavior and
interaction
2. Undertakes environmental analysis, demographic analysis and
feasibility studies
3. Examines existing laws, ordinances, political/social constraints;
4. Prepares the conceptual development plans, policies, implementing
strategies to arrive at the desired comprehensive and/or master
planning solution/s.
o Manner of Providing Services – contract can be in two possible ways:
i. working in dual capacity as Architect-of-Record and as Consulting Architect
ii. working as a Consulting Architect only
o Manner of Compensation – two options:
i. through man-months (for example, 22-man-days x 8-man hours and
multiplied by a factor)
ii. as prescribed by the Architect’s Guidelines
H. Historic and Heritage Conservation Planning
o the suitably trained and experienced Consulting Architect in this area of
architectural practice provides research, assessment, recording, management,
interpretation, and conservation of historical heritage.
I. Security and Evaluation and Planning
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practices arranges and formulates methods
of rating and ascertaining the value of structures or facilities which must be fully
secured, kept safe, protected, assured, guaranteed and provided sufficient
safeguards for the conduct of any work or activity.
J. Building Systems Design
o The Architect in this area of practice engages in methods of producing building
components in a highly engineered, efficient and cost-effective manner, particularly
for residential and commercial applications.
K. Facilities and Maintenance Support
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice provides the owner/client with
means and measures to ensure the proper function and maintenance of the
building/structure and site after final inspection.
L. Building Testing and Commissioning
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o The Architect in this area of practice recommends the systematic process of

ensuring that a building/structure’s array of systems is planned, designed, installed,
and tested to perform according to the design intent and the building’s operational
needs. If the building materials, equipment, and systems are not installed properly
or are not operating as intended, the effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, and
other benefits of high-performance plans/designs will not be achieved.
M. Building Environment Certification
o A building environment rating system is needed to evaluate the environmental
performance of a building and to encourage market migration towards sustainable
design. The rating system must be:
i. credit-based, allowing projects to earn points for environmentally friendly
use of the building/structure and actions taken during planning, design,
construction, and occupancy.
ii. flexible, such that projects need not meet identical requirements to qualify.
iii. consensus-based and market-driven, in order to accelerate the development
and implementation of green building practices
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the
basic knowledge of Green Architecture and Environmental and/or Sustainable
Design and sufficient knowledge of the governing environmental laws and
environmental investigation processes and procedures under international protocols
such as the Philippine Solid Waste, Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, DENR
Administrative issuances and the like.
N. Forensic Architecture
o The Architect in this area of practice undertakes a scientific study on the built
environment’s well-being, which allows the Architect to focus on the ways in which
the building/structure can best maintain itself and prolong its life in a cost-efficient
manner, and finally provide recommendations to the Owner/Client. The forensic
study may include:
i. determination as to the causes of building, building component and/or
building material deterioration
ii. the causes of observed building deficiencies (example: non-compliance with
planning and building laws, deviations from original use or function of
spaces).
iii. research on possible faulty activities and operations during the project
implementation phase.
iv. determination of faulty plan/design and/or construction methodology
O. Building Appraisal
o Appraisal is defined as an act or process or estimating value. The Consulting
Architect in this area of practice places value on the building/structure condition and
defects, and on its repair and maintenance, including the required improvements.
P. Structural Conceptualization
o The Architect in this area of practice conceives, chooses and develops the type,
disposition, arrangement and proportioning of the structural elements of an
architectural work, giving due considerations to safety, cost-effectiveness,
functionality and aesthetics
Q. Preliminary Services
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o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice must have much more than basic
knowledge of Site Analysis, Space Planning and Management, Architectural
Programming and the other services under SPP Document 201.
R. Contract Documentation and Review Services
o The Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the basic
knowledge of Specification Writing, Estimation and Quantity Survey, Architectural
Production, Architectural Software, Architectural Support Services and Contract
Document Review.
S. Post-Design Services (including Construction Services)
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the
basic knowledge of Pre-Construction, Construction, Post-Construction, and the
otherservices under SPP Document 204, 206 and 207.
o Included under this Specialized Practice is the preparation of the Fire Safety and Life
Assessment Report (FALAR) required by R.A. No. 9514, the 2008 Fire Code of the
Philippines and its 2009 IRR (or 2019 RIRR).
T. Dispute Avoidance and Resolution
o The Architect in this area or practice must have much more than the basic
knowledge of the various modes of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) prescribed
under R.A. No. 9285, the ADR Act of 2004 and its IRR (examples: Construction
Arbitration, Mediation and Conciliation, Negotiation and of Contract Administration,
Quality Surveys, Appraisals and Adjustments and Expert Testimony. An Architect
specializing in ADR must preferably be State-accredited.
U. Architectural Research Methods
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the
basic knowledge of Research Methods, Philippine Architecture and its History,
Architectural Materials and Finishes, Building Types and Standards, Architectural
Design Trends, Architectural Writing and Architectural Photography.
V. Special Building/Facility Planning and Design
o The Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the basic
knowledge of the Planning and Design Processes required for Housing
Developments, Recreational and Tourism Estates, Health Care and Hospitality
Facilities, Transportation and Telecommunications Facilities, Production and
Extractive Facilities, Utility-related Developments, Secure Facilities, Business and
Industrial Parks, Economic Zones and Community Architecture and the like.
W. Building Components
o The Consulting Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the
basic knowledge of Building Materials and Finishes, Construction Methodologies,
Building Envelopes including cladding and roofing systems, Architectural
Fenestrations and Architectural Hardware, Fixtures and Fittings.
X. Management of Architectural Practices
o The Architect in this area of practice must have much more than the basic
knowledge of the Types of Architectural Office Operations, Architectural Office
Management, Accounting/Finance/Taxation/Audit, Labor Code, Architectural
Marketing and Project Development, Proposals, Negotiations/Contracts, Contract
Administration, File Management and Limitations of Business Process Outsourcing
(BPO) and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) Operations.
Y. General Notes: Method of Compensation for Specialized Architectural Services
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o Compensation for the foregoing specialized architectural services, all of which may
be classified as additional or extra services, shall be
i. through man-months (i.e., 22 man-days multiplied by 8 man-hours, and
multiplied by a factor to cover other direct and indirect costs e.g.,
overhead,etc.)
ii. through any other applicable mode of determination of the Architect’s fee
as stated in Doc. 201, Doc. 202, and the Architect’s Guidelines.

SPP Document 204-A – SPP on Fulltime Supervision Services

A. Introduction –
o For 50 years, four principal members in the design and construction process – the
owner, the Architect and SCs, the Contractor and the Supervision Group.
o The Architect-in-charge of Construction (AICC) – directly and professionally
responsible for the supervision of the project.
o For manageable projects, the Architect is then assisted by a construction inspector,
traditionally called Clerk-of-Works. As projects become more complex, a
construction supervision group becomes necessary for fulltime inspection.
o The Construction Supervision Group (CSG) is normally recommended by the
Architect and hired by the Owner. They report both to the owner and the architect.
B. Scope of Services – Quality Control, Evaluation of Construction Work, Preparation of Daily
Inspection Reports, Filing of Documents (detailed task specified under the Architect’s
Guidelines)
C. Manner of Providing Services – two possible ways of contract:
o working in a dual capacity as the Architect-of-Record and as a Consulting Architect
(CA) for fulltime supervision services or as the Construction Supervision Group (CSG)
i. The Architect-of-Record is preferable to interpret his drawings. He can
assign staff for the fulltime supervisory work.
o working as Consulting Architect (CA) for fulltime supervision services only
D. Method of Compensation – compensation may be provided in one or more of the following:
o Percentage (%) of Project Construction Cost (PCC) – detailed in Archt’s Guidelines
o Multiple of Direct Personnel Expenses – applicable only to non-creative works
(accounting, secretarial, research, data gathering, preparation of reports etc.) At the
start of the commission, the Architect shall inform the owner about the rate of
professionals and personnel before agreeing to this method of compensation:
1. based on technical hours spent, not creative work
Direct Cost = AN + CN + TN

a. A = Architect’s Rate/Hour
b. C = Consultant’s Rate/Hour
c. T = Technical Staff or Researchers’ Rate/Hour
d. AN, CN, TN = rate x number of hours worked
Fee = Direct Cost x M

e. M = Multiplier for head and reasonable profit (1.5 to 2.5

depending on architect’s setup, expertise and complexity of
the project)
Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fee + R
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f. R = reimbursable expenses such as housing, transportation

and living allowance of consultants or technical staff (if
assigned to places over 100km from the area of operation),
cost of printing of extra set of drawings (over 7 copies
submitted), overseas and long-distance calls, technical or
laboratory tests, licenses, fees, taxes and similar cost items
needed by the project.
o Professional Fee + Expenses – frequently used in continuous series of projects
Total Cost of Service Chargeable = Fixed Sum + Reimbursement

1. Fixed Sum = professional fee

o Lump Sum or Fixed Fee – may be for government projects due to paperwork and
time-consuming.
o Per Diem (per day), Honorarium + Reimbursable Expenses – examples are (1)
attending project-related meetings, conferences or trips, (2) conducting ocular
inspection of possible project sites, (3) conferring with others regarding prospective
investments or ventures and the likes.
Total Payment = Per Diem/Honorarium + Reimbursement

1. Per Diem – per day payment

2. Honorarium – voluntary payment (no charge was set)
3. Reimbursement – out-of-pocket expenses such as travel,
accommodations and subsistence
o Mixed Methods of Compensation – take note, it can be more than one method of
compensation for one project
E. Limitation of Authority
o The Construction Supervision Group (CSG), which can be an architectural firm or
which the Architect is only part of, shall not assume the responsibility of the
Contractor’s project superintendent.
o The CSG shall not make decisions on matters that are the sole responsibility of the
Architect-of-Record (AoR)
F. Legal Responsibility
o The Construction Supervision Group (CSG) is responsible to the Owner only for
administrative matters. For technical matters, the CSG is responsible to the
Architect-of-Record (Aor)
o Under Article 1723 of the present Civil Code, the CSG may appear not to have any
legal responsibility since the Architect-of-Record (Aor) and Engineers-of-Record
(Eors) are responsible for the design while the Contractor is responsible for the
construction. However, a Service Contract/Agreement between the CSG and the
Owner may stipulate certain professional responsibilities and civil liabilities of the
CSG, particularly if the CSG is party to the review of the Contract Documents and
their subsequent evaluation and interpretation during the course of construction.
o If the AOR and EORs and the Contractor are sued by an Owner for civil liabilities due
to the performance or non-performance of certain acts traceable to the CSG, the
AOR and EORs may file cross claims against the CSG.
G. Qualifications – Inspectors of the Construction Supervision Group (CSG) must have:
o A Bachelor of Science in Architecture (B.S. Arch.) degree
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o Extensive experience in design and building construction and must be very

knowledgeable in building materials and construction detailing.

SPP Document 204-B – SPP on Construction Management Services

A. Introduction
o Due to increasing complexity of construction projects, there is demand for
efficiency. Construction Management Services were thus instituted.
o Construction Manager (CM) could be a member of the staff of the owner,
independent individual or a firm hired by the Owner to manage the construction of
a particular project.
o The Architect can serve as the Construction Manager (CM). His training in the
coordination of various specialties allows him to supervise and assure proper
monitoring of all construction activities with regards to quality, workmanship and
cost.
B. Functions and Description of Tasks
o The responsibilities of the Construction Manager (CM) include the functions of the
Construction Supervision Group (CSG). (Reference Doc. 204-A and Architect’s
Guidelines)
i. Coordination and Supervision
ii. Cost and Time Control
iii. Quality Control of Work
iv. Keeping of Records
o The Construction Manager (CM) may hire the CSG to be under his employ or may
supervise the CSG hired directly by the Owner.
C. Limitation of Authority
o The Architect as the Construction Manager shall not:
i. involve himself directly with the work of the Contractor (not assuming the
Contractor’s liability as provided under Article 1723 etc. of the Civil Code of
the Philippines)
ii. impose methods, systems or designs that will substantially affect the
construction schedule and impair the design concept of the Architect.
D. Legal Responsibility
o The Architect as the Construction Manager (CM) is directly responsible to the Owner
on all aspects of the construction work: programming, coordination, quality and cost
control and time management.
o The CM assumes no liability in case equipment fail to function or if a portion of the
building collapses:
i. due to deficiencies in the plan/design, provided the CM did not participate
in the plan/design review and approval, or
ii. due to the deficiencies in the manner of construction, provided the CM
faithfully discharged his function/s during the construction or project
implementation.
E. Qualifications
o The Construction Manager may be an individual or a firm.
i. The individual or the principal of the firm must be a State-regulated
professional, preferably an RLA with experience, updated PIC and IAPOA
 P a g e | 21

member. Architects who are Contractors or have been in-charge of

construction are usually capable of becoming Construction Managers (CMs)
F. Methods of Compensation
o Services of Architect as Construction Manager (CM) shall be separately
compensated.

SPP Document 205 – SPP on Post-Construction Services

A. Introduction
o Building administration and management goes beyond maintenance and upkeep
functions. It requires the services of a multi-disciplinary professional who can
perform a wide range or functions for the efficient and economical operation and
maintenance of a building, facility or a complex.
o In post-construction services, communication is open among the building owners,
operators, architects, engineers, builders, manufacturers, building research groups,
utility providers, furniture and equipment vendors and building
administrators/property managers to provide access to information regarding the
performance and upkeep of buildings.
o The architect may be engaged as the Building Administrator and/or Property
Manager of a commercial, industrial, residential or institutional building, facility or
complex to maximize the lifespan of the building/s in order to produce the
maximum economic return.
B. Scope of Services
o Building and Facilities Administration
i. Building Maintenance Architect shall:
1. see to it that portions of buildings are in good condition
(structural/utilities/finished/partitions etc.)
2. formulate and enforce rules on proper building usage (especially
during emergency)
3. monitor security services
4. monitor maintenance and upkeep services (cleanliness and garbage
collection)
ii. Grounds and Landscaping Supervision Architects shall:
1. supervise landscape contractors and gardeners for maintenance of
landscape (both hardscape and softscape)
2. maintain orderly entrances, exits and parking areas
3. maintain streets (RROWs), walkways and ramps
iii. Building Equipment Architects shall:
1. assisting the 3rd parties in the proper maintenance and operation of
all equipment (air-conditioning, sprinkler system, generators,
transformers, telecommunications equipment etc.)
iv. Building Development and Management Architects shall:
1. innovate schemes to attain maximum building occupancy
2. bill the tenants for rentals and utilities
o Post-Construction Evaluation – upon the request of the Owner, the Architect shall:
i. evaluate the initial design program and the actual use of the facility
ii. determine the effectiveness of the various building systems and materials
systems in use
 P a g e | 22

iii. assist the proper third parties in evaluating the functional effectiveness of
the design and construction process undertaken, and
iv. study, research and give solutions to any discovered/emerging/evolving
defects and failures such as shrinkage, water seepage and other problems in
the building. This is referred to as ‘forensic investigation’ of the building’s
systems (Reference Document 203).
o Manner of Providing Services - the Architect may enter into contract with the
Owner in two possible ways:
i. working in dual capacity as the Architect-of-Record and as Consulting
Architect (CA) for post-construction services
ii. Working as Consulting Architect for post-construction services only.
o Method of Compensation
i. Percentage of gross rentals, maintenance and security fees
i. Monthly salary/fee.

SPP Document 206 – SPP on Comprehensive Architectural Services

A. Introduction
o in response to emerging complex building project and continuity of services related
to design and construction
o Comprehensive Architectural Services covers Pre-design Services, Regular Design
Services, Specialized Architectural Services, Construction Services and Post-
Construction Services.
o The architect offers extended services, act as the prime professional, and must be
knowledgeable in other fields.
o The architect is not expected to perform all the services, but he acts as the agent of
the Client in procuring and coordinating the necessary services required by a project.
B. Scope of Comprehensive Architectural Services
o Pre-Design Services (SPP Document 201)
i. Consultation
ii. Pre-feasibility Studies
iii. Feasibility Studies
iv. Site Selection and Analysis
v. Site Utilization and Land-Use Studies
vi. Architectural Research
vii. Space Planning
viii. Space Management Studies
ix. Value Management
x. Design Brief Preparation
xi. Promotional Services
o Regular Design Services
i. Project Definition Phase
ii. Schematic Design Phase
iii. Design Development Phase
iv. Contract Document Phase
v. Bidding or Negotiation Phase
vi. Construction Phase
o Specialized Architectural Services
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i. Architectural Interiors (AI)

ii. Acoustic Design
iii. Architectural Lighting Layout and Design
iv. Site Development Planning (SDP)
v. Site and Physical Planning Services (including Master Development Planning,
Subdivision Planning and Urban Design)
vi. Comprehensive Development Planning (CDP)
vii. Historic and Cultural Heritage Conservation and Planning
viii. Security Evaluation and Planning
ix. Building Systems Design
x. Facilities Maintenance Support
xi. Building Testing and Commissioning
xii. Building Environmental Certification
xiii. Forensic Architecture
xiv. Building Appraisal
xv. Preliminary Services
xvi. Contract Documentation and Review
xvii. Post-Design Services (including Construction Management Services)
xviii. Building Components
xix. Management of Architectural Practices
o Construction Services
i. Fulltime Supervision Services (SPP Document 204-A)
ii. Construction Management Services (SPP Document 204-B)
o Post-Construction Services (SPP Document 205)
i. Building and Facilities Administration
ii. Post-Construction Evaluation
C. Project Management
o By his education and training, the Architect may perform any or all of the services as
stipulated under Section 2 above. However, when the Owner hires and Architect or
a firm to coordinate the whole range of Comprehensive Architectural Services
(CAS), this constitutes Project Management (PM).
o Project Management (PM) involves management activities over and above the
normal architectural and engineering (A&E) services carried out during the pre-
design, design and construction phase. The over-all objective is to have control over
time, cost and quality relative to the construction of a project.
o The presence of a PM does not relieve the designers and contractors of their
respective normal duties and responsibilities in the design and construction of the
project. The PM complements the functions of the Architect, Engineers and
Contractors in meeting the broad and complex requirements of projects.
D. The Project Manager (PM)
o The Project Manager (whether individual or a firm) operates as a member of an
Owner-Architect-Engineer-Contractor Team. In the Team Approach, each member of
the team will have precedence in his own field of operations or expertise. In
accordance with this principle:
i. The Architect and the Specialist Consultants (SCs) will have prime
responsibility for the plan/design of the project.
ii. The Engineers will be responsible for their respective engineering plans.
 P a g e | 24

iii. The Contractor shall be responsible for his men and equipment and the
delivery of the project.
iv. The Owner makes decisions on the project and assures that funds are
available to complete the project.
v. The Project Manager (PM)’s primary responsibility is the exercise of overall
cost control. He will plan, program and monitor the various activities, and
will act as an adviser on material costs and construction methods.
o Scope of Services
i. Pre-Construction Phase – As early as during the design development phase,
perhaps even concurrently with the Architect’s commission, the Project
Manager (PM) should conduct regular consultations with the Owner and
with the Architects and Engineers (for A&E Services) on all aspects of
planning of the project.
ii. Construction Phase – If the Project Manager (PM) also serves as the
Construction Manager (CM) to oversee time, cost and quality control during
the construction of the project, he shall provide the services detailed under
SPP Documents 204-A and/or 204-B.
o Manner of Providing Services
i. Normally, the Architect enters into a contract with the Owner to perform
comprehensive architectural services. By the very nature of the services, he
assumes the dual role of the Project Manager (PM) and the Construction
Manager (CM), or effectively the overall coordinator whose functions are
outlined under this SPP.
ii. To perform the variety of services indicated under the Comprehensive
Architectural Services, the Architect must make full use of his own capability
as well as of services offered by other professionals. He may expand his staff
by hiring the experts needed, or he may form a team consisting of
professionals such as but not limited to:
1. Architects, Engineers, Market Analysts, Accountants, General
Contractors, Real Estate Consultants, Sociologists, Planners,
Bankers, Lawyers
iii. If a Project Manager (PM) is hired by the Owner, it may be the responsibility
of the PM to either hire the Construction Manager (CM) to be paid either by
him or directly by the Owner on salary, or on the basis of percentage of
construction cost or to serve as the CM himself. In like manner, the Fulltime
Supervisor can either be a staff member of the PM or hired directly by the
Owner.
E. Method of Compensation
o The Project Manager is compensated on a percentage basis, described in the
Architect’s Guidelines.
o If the Architect as Project Manager (PM) performs regular design services for the
same project, he shall be compensated separately for these services as stipulated in
SPP Document 202.
 P a g e | 25
SPP Document 207 – SPP on Design-Build Services

A. Introduction
o Design-build services becomes needed to balance the elements of time, quality and
cost (deliver of project in the shortest possible time, lowest possible cost and at an
acceptable quality and performance)
o A qualified and expert architect qualifies him to take a direct role in the project,
from conceptualization to implementation.
o Design-build service simplifies and expedites the process of project delivery while
providing creative cost-effective solutions.
o The Architect renders professional services in the implementation of his design. In
Design-Build Services, he assumes the professional responsibility and civil liability for
both the design and the construction of the project.
B. Scope of Design-Build Services (two types or categories)
o Design-Build Services by Administration – the scope includes the Regular Design
Services:
i. Project Definition Phase
ii. Schematic Design Phase
iii. Design Development Phase
iv. Contract Document Phase
v. Construction Phase – this phase goes beyond periodic inspection and
assessment to include the following:
1. preparation of schedule of work, program and estimates of
materials, labor, transportation, equipment and services as
reference for the construction
2. organization and hiring of construction personnel, designation of
duties and remunerations
3. negotiation and entering into contract with piecework contractors
and evaluation of work accomplishments
4. procurement of materials, plants and equipment, licenses and
permits
5. authorizing and undertaking payments of accounts
6. keeping records and books of accounts
7. negotiation with Government and private agencies having
jurisdiction over the project, and
8. management of all other business transactions related to the
project construction / implementation
o Design-Build Services with Guaranteed Maximum Project Construction Cost
i. This method is same as Design-Build Services by Administration but the
Owner/Client is guaranteed with maximum project construction cost.
ii. The Owner/Client is given an estimate of the project, and upon completion,
if there are realized savings from the estimated project construction cost, it
is divided equally between the Owner/Client and the Architect.
iii. The project construction cost is guaranteed by the Architect not to exceed
10% of the estimated project construction cost (PCC). Should the actual cost
exceed the estimated PC + 10%, the Architect is liable for the excess amount
but only up to the amount of his administration fee.
iv. Should there be additional expenditures beyond the guaranteed maximum
project construction cost which are due to legitimate change/variation
orders (CVOs), extra work orders (EWOs), substantial escalation of prices of
the costs of materials or labor as evidenced by data certified by a nationally
 P a g e | 26

recognized agency such as the National Economic Development Authority

(NEDA), or other causes not attributable to the fault of the Architect, the
additional costs shall be borne by the Owner/Client.
C. Manner of Providing Services
i. The Architect may be involved in construction, including that of his own
design, by adopting an arrangement different from the general way of
bidding out projects to constructors, or from the different modes of Design-
Build Services (DBS). Such an arrangement may take the form of any of the
following:
1. The Architect is part of or a member of the entity constructing his
design. He works in tandem with or has authorized an entity to
construct is design.
2. The Architect is himself a State-licensed contractor implementing his
design (or that of others).
ii. In adopting any of the above arrangements, or any acceptable variation
thereof, the Architect must strictly adhere to the following:
1. The Architect must retain his separate/distinct professional identity,
prerogative and integrity as an Architect, and is therefore subject to
the standards and tenets of the SPP, particularly Document 200,
otherwise known as the Code of Ethical Conduct and SPP Document
202.
2. Whatever mode the Architect adopts in being involved in
construction; he must strictly adhere to the tenets of the Architects
Credo with the pledge that he “shall disclose whenever required,
any businesses investment or venture that may tend to create a
conflict of interest and ensure that such conflict neither
compromises the legitimate interest of the Client nor interfere with
his duty to render impartial judgment”.
D. Method of Compensation
i. The manner of payment to the Architect follows the progress of
construction. All costs for labor and materials are paid directly by the Client.
The Architect does not advance any money for payment of expenditures
connected with the work. Generally, a revolving fund is given to the
Architect beforehand and is accounted for and subject to periodic auditing
by the Client.
ii. Cost of all permits, licenses and other incidentals to the work are paid by the
Owner/Client.
iii. The Architect may appoint, subject to the Owner/Client’s approval, a
construction superintendent, purchasing agent, timekeeper and property
clerk aside from the usual labor personnel required. Salaries of such persons
are paid by the Owner/Client and not deductible from the Architect’s Fee
under this SPP.
i. The method of compensation may be modified by using the relevant
alternatives detailed in SPP Doc. 202.
 P a g e | 27

SPP Document 208 – SPP on Architectural Design Competition (ADC)

A. Introduction – to guide Promoters/Owners inorganizing ADCs.

B. Definitions:
o Owner – the person or organization who undertakes or promotes an ADC with the
primary objective of obtaining excellence in design for a project or for a
development concept. The owner issues invitations to architects with a program and
also finances the ADC.
o Jury – the people appointed by the Owner to assess the entries to the competition.
The members of the Jury are called Jurors. It consists of a majority of registered and
licensed architects (RLAs, hereinafter referred to as “Architect/s”) assisted by a lay
Juror to represent and voice the intention of the Owner. They are nominated by the
Owner and approved by IAPOA.
o Professional Advisor – an architect nominated by the Owner and approved by
IAPOA to organize the ADC on behalf of the Owner.
o Technical Advisors – specialist personnel who may be consulted by the Jurors during
the conduct of the ADC to permit them to obtain all necessary relevant information.
o Competition Secretariat – the body formed by the Owner and approved by the
Professional Advisor, to assist the Professional Advisor and the Jury in the
administrative conduct of the ADC
o Classification of Architectural Design Competitions (ADCs)
- Classified as follows:
1. Project ADCs for actual projects proposed for implementation
2. Ideas Competition or competition of ideas set as a design and
planning exercise to elucidate a problem
- Project ADCs may be conducted in a single-stage or two-stage manner. It
may be either open or limited by invitation.
- Project ADCs shall be further classified according to degree of complexity
based on project classification i.e. under SPP Document 202.
o Conditions – the full conditions include the program, instructions on submission of
entries, site plans, entry forms and official envelopes and labels. These are drawn up
by the Professional Advisor.
o SPP on ADC – Standard of Professional Practice (SPP) on Architectural Design
Competitions (ADC)
o IAPOA ADC Committee – appointed by the IAPOA National President to oversee all
architectural design competitions (ADCs) referred to the IAPOA.
C. IAPOA Approval
o Before official announcement by the Owner, a written approval of the draft
conditions (including timetable, registration fee and membership of the jury) shall
be received by the owner through the ADC Committee of IAPOA.
o Notice of a National Architectural Design Competition (ADC) shall be issued by the
Owner and/or the IAPOA ADC Committee Secretariat with a request for publication
in technical journals or through other media at their disposal, simultaneously if
possible, to enable those interested to apply for the competition. Such an
announcement shall state where and how the ADC documents may be obtained and
that the ADC conditions have received requisite IAPOA approval.
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D. Drawing Up the ADC Conditions

o anonymity of competitors should be maintained until the final judgment of the
competition.
o The ADC conditions shall be identical for all competitors.
o The conditions for National ADC, whether single or two (2) stage, open or limited
shall state clearly:
- the purpose of the ADC and the intentions of the Owner
- the nature of the problem to be solved
- all the requirements to be met by Competitors
o A clear distinction shall be made between the mandatory requirements of the
Conditions and those which permit the competitor freedom of interpretation, which
should be as wide as possible. All competition entries shall be submitted in a manner
to be prescribed in the Conditions.
o The information supplied to competitors (social, economic, technical, geographical,
and topographical, etc.) must be specific and not open to misinterpretation.
Supplementary information and instructions approved by the Jury may be issued by
the Owner to all Competitors selected to proceed to the second (2 nd) stage of a two
(2)-stage competition.
o The conditions shall state the number, nature, scale and dimensions of the
documents, plans or models required and the terms of acceptance of such
documents or models. Where an estimate of cost is required, this must be
presentedin standard form as set out in the Condition.
E. Professional Advisor
o A professional advisor should be appointed and paid by the Owner and approved by
the IAPOA National Board of Directors (NBD) thru its ADC Committee. His role is the
supervision of the conduct of the ADC and the preparation of the Conditions. His
function includes insuring that the ADC timetable is adhered to, supervising the
receipt of Competitor’s questions, the dispatch of reply to all Competitors and the
receipt of competition entries and safeguarding the anonymity of Competitors at all
times. He will assist the Jury and will be present during its deliberations, but he will
have no vote. His responsibilities will be limited to the organization and conduct of
the competition.
F. The Jury
o The Jury shall be set up before the official announcement of the competition. Their
names and those of the reserve members of the Jury shall be stated in the
Conditions.
o The Jurors are appointed by the Owner and approved by the IAPOA, which shall
assist the Owner in the selection of the Jury members.
o The Jury shall be composed of the smallest reasonable number of persons and in any
event should be an odd number and should not exceed seven (7); majority of the
members should be architects.
o At least one of the Architect-Jurors shall represent the IAPOA.
o Maximum of (1) representative of the Owner included in the Jury.
o It is essential that all Jurors be present at all meetings of the Jury.
o Each juror shall see the conditions before they are made available to Competitors.
o The conditions of the Jury shall be taken by a majority vote, with a separate vote on
each competition plan/design submitted. The list of ADC awards including the Jury’s
 P a g e | 29

report to the Owner shall be signed by all Jurors before the Jury is dissolved and one
copy of this document shall be sent to the IAPOA.
o In a two (2)-stage competition, the same Jury should judge both stages of the
competition. In no case may a competition that has received IAPOA approval as a
single-stage competition proceed to a second (2nd) stage unless approved by IAPOA
and with additional honoraria for competitors.
o Any non-required drawings, photograph, models or other documents shall be
excluded by the Jury before it examines a competitor’s entry.
o The Jury shall disqualify any design entries not conforming to the requirements.
o The awards by the Jury shall be final and made public by a date agreed on with the
IAPOA and stated in the competitions; the distributed prizes shall be full.
o The travel/subsistence expenses and fees of the jurors shall be paid by the Owner.
G. Persons Not Eligible for Entry to the ADC
o No member of the Jury will be allowed to take part in the competition, either
directly or indirectly, nor be commissioned with work connected with the prize-
winning design either directly or indirectly.
o No member of the promoting body nor any associate or employee, nor any person
concerned with the preparation or organization of the ADC will be eligible to
compete or assist a competitor.
H. Prized, Honoraria and Mentions
o The conditions must state the amount and number of prizes. The prizes awarded
must be related to the size and complexity of the project, the amount of work
involved, and the expenses incurred by Competitors.
o It is important for the Owner to allot adequate prize money to compensate all the
competitors for their work. For Ideas Competition only, it may be the sole
remuneration received by the first (1st) prize winner.
o The Owner undertakes to accept the decisions of the Jury and to pay the prizes
allotted within one (1) month of the official announcement of the ADC results.
o Each participant in a limited ADC by invitation shall receive an honorarium in
addition to the prizes awarded.
o In two (2)-stage competitions, a reasonable honorarium shall be paid to each of the
Competitors selected to take part in the second (2 nd) stage. This sum, which is
intended to reimburse them for the additional work carried out in the second (2 nd)
stage, shall be stated in the Conditions and shall be in addition to the prizes
awarded.
o The Conditions shall state the use to which the Owner will put the winning
plan/design scheme/s. ADC-generated plans/designs may not be used or altered in
any way except by agreement with the author. The owner or his agents are not free
to pick out portions of the entries to compose another plan/design due to applicable
ownership and copyright provisions under Secs. 20 (4) and 33 of R.A. 9266 and R.A.
8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines) and the respective IRRs.
o In Project ADCs, the award of first prize to a plan/design places the Owner under an
obligation to entrust the Author of the plan/design with the commission for the
Project. If the winning Competitor is unable to satisfy the Jury of his ability to carry
out the plan/design work, the Jury may require the winner to collaborate with
another Architect of the winning Competitor’s choice, duly approved by the Jury
and Owner.
 P a g e | 30

o In Project ADCs, provisions shall be made in the ADC Conditions for the first prize
winner to receive compensation of a further sum equal to the amount of the first
prize, if no contract has been signed within twelve (12) months of the
announcement of the Jury’s award. In so compensating the first prize winner, the
Owner does not acquire the right to carry out the project except with the
collaboration of its Author.
o In an Ideas Competition, if the Owner decides to make use of all or part of the
winning scheme, he should do so with the collaboration of the Author. The terms of
collaboration must be acceptable to the latter.
I. Copyright and Right of Ownership
o The author of any plan/design shall retain the copyright of his work; no alterations
may be made without his written consent.
o The design awarded first prize can only be used by the Owner upon his
commissioning the Author to carry out the plan/design preparation for the project.
No other plan/design may be used wholly or in part by the Owner except by
agreement with the Author concerned.
o As a general rule, the Owner’s right to use the ADC-generated plan/design covers
one (1) execution only. However, the Conditions may provide for repetitive work
and specify the terms thereof.
o In all cases, unless otherwise stated in the Conditions, the Author of any design shall
retain the sole right of reproduction by virtue of sole copyright under Secs. 20 (4)
and 33 of RA 9266 and its IRR.
J. Registration of Competitors
o As soon as they have received details of the architectural design competition (ADC),
all Competitors shall register with the Owner. Registration implies acceptance of the
Conditions of the ADC.
o The owner shall issue to all Competitors all the necessary documentation for
preparing their plans/designs. Where the furnishing of such documentation is
conditional on payment of a deposit, unless otherwise stated, such deposit shall be
returned to Competitors who submit a bona fide plan/design.
o The names of the Competitors selected to proceed to the second (2 nd) stage of a two
(2)-stage competition shall be made public only under exceptional conditions to be
agreed on by the Jury before the launching of the ADC
K. Insurance
o The Owner shall insure the Competitors’ plans/designs from the time when he
assumes responsibility for them and for the duration of this responsibility. The
amount of such insurance shall be stated in the Conditions.
L. Exhibitions and Entries
o All designs, including those disqualified by the Jury, shall be exhibited, as a general
rule, for at least two (2) weeks, together with a copy of the signed report of the
Jury. The exhibition shall be open to the public free of charge.
o The Owner shall notify in a timely manner, all registered Competitors and IAPOA of
the date and place of the public exhibition and the results of the ADC, and send
them a copy of the Jury’s report. Photographs of the prize-winning designs shall be
sent to the IAPOA for possible publication.
M. Return of Projects
o All drawings and plans, other than those which have received prizes or have been
purchased and are retained by the Owner, shall be destroyed at the end of the
 P a g e | 31

public exhibition unless provisions are made to the contrary in the Conditions for
the ADC. Where models are required, these will be returned to the Author/s at the
expense of the Owner within a month of the close of the public exhibition.
N. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) or Litigation
o Since no regulations, however well drawn up, can preclude the possibility of dispute,
provisions for conciliation, mediation, and arbitration i.e. ADR modes under RA
9285, must be included in the ADC Conditions and must precede any form of
litigation.
o The Jury members are the sole arbiters at all stages, up to the final prize-giving.
o In the event of a dispute, not related to the adjudication process or awarding of the
prizes, the matter shall be settled by arbitration process approved by the IAPOA, and
without initial recourse to any form of litigation.
o The expense resulting from any conciliation, mediation or arbitration, procedure
shall be shared by the two (2) interested parties to the ADR proceeding.

SPP Document 209 – SPP on Professional Architectural Consulting Services

(PACS)

A. Foreword
o March 20, 1980 – Marcos issued LOI No. 1000 which directs all government
agencies to prioritize members of APOs in the hiring of professionals.
o Philippine Federation of Professional Associations (PFPA) and Philippine
Technological Council (PTC) initiated the preparation the “Standard Guidelines on
Consultancy/Consulting Services”, a comprehensive coverage of provisions. Take
note: PFPA is the umbrella organization of all PRC-accredited professional
organizations and PTC members consists of 14 accredited technological APOs.
o The document is revisited due to influx of foreign consultants (FCs) and
proliferations of entities claiming as “consultants” even if incompetent.
o This document is the amended version of the 1981 Standard Guidelines on
Consulting Services (based on the document jointly drafted by PTC and Council for
the Built and Natural Environments (CBNE) in accordance with their Joint Resolution
No. 2009-01 dated December 11, 2009) embodies relevant provisions of
professional regulatory laws (PRLs) governing the various APOs, national policies,
principles and rules/regulations/guidelines/manuals of procedure (MoP) governing
State-regulated professional practices, as well as the basic terms and conditions for
the engagement of Professional Consultants, such as Consulting Architects defined
under R.A. No. 9266 (The Architecture Act of 2004) and its 2004 IRR.
o Who are encouraged to adopt this document? (in selection, commissioning and
engagement of Professional Consulting Architects or PCAs and in the
conceptualization, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
projects)
- All national and local agencies and instrumentalities, government-owned or
controlled agencies (GOCCs) and institutions
- private sector and other civil society organizations including the
international community
B. Rationale:
o The government, private sector etc. are regularly engaging in the services of
professional consultants for the several aspects of the project. Strengthening the
field of consulting services is by using the local experts.
 P a g e | 32

o The guidelines of professional consulting services were set because it is urgently

needed, to enhance the participation of Filipino professionals and to protect their
rights.
o The full utilization of Filipino Professional Consultants can minimize the importation
of foreign expertise (which entails expenditure of foreign exchange). Such
importation is irrational and not aligned with the goal of expanding the country’s
professional capability.
o The inflow of foreign consultants (especially architects) based on technology
transfer is invalid justification because the technology they bring in is already
adequate locally and only results to the displacement of FPCs. This disproportion is
serious and affects the Filipino RLPs and the development of the country.
o The competence of FPC (especially PCAs) is adequate and well-established.
o The primary purpose of this SPP is to complement without affecting PRLs such as:
- RA 9266
- RA 8293 (Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines)
- RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003)
- Code of Ethical Standards
- other Standards of Professional Practice
C. Objectives
o Objective is to create standards and parameters for PCAs offering services (regarding
qualifications, credibility and integrity)
o The scope, type and nature of professional architectural consulting services that only
RLA-PCAs are defined.
o Another goal is full compliance on advisories and guidelines for foreign
architects/foreign consultants in Philippine soil (promulgated and prescribed by PRC,
PRBoA, IAPOA)
o Another objective is the application of Filipino Architects (RLA-PCAs) of their
familiarity with the local conditions (physical, social, economic, business and
institutional) for a sustainable and comprehensive development.
o Another objective is to have a nurturing environment that encourage FPCs (i.e. RLA-
PCAs) to practice and develop locally rather than abroad and propel them to the
same level with their counterparts in the global market;
D. Declaration of Policy
o All accredited professional organizations (APOs) are committed to follow the ideals
under Section 14, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution:
- “The sustained development of a reservoir of national talents consisting of
Filipino scientists, entrepreneurs, professionals, managers, high-level
technical manpower and skilled workers and craftsmen in all fields shall be
promoted by the State. The state shall be encouraged appropriate
technology and regulate its transfer for the national benefit. The practice of
all professions in the Philippines shall be limited to Filipino citizens, save in
cases prescribed by law xxx”.
o It shall be mandatory for RLPs to strictly adhere to their respective policies and SPPs,
the constitutional provisions and within the bounds of their respective regulatory
laws.
 P a g e | 33

E. Definition of Terms
o Comprehensive Development – holistic and progressive growth and advancement
of community, province, region and nation inclusive of their respective economic,
social, physical, environmental and institutional sectors.
o Consortium or Association – refers to a coalition of purely Filipino professional
consultants (i.e., RLP-PCAs) or consulting firm/s (i.e., SEC- and/or PRC-registered
architectural firms/RAFs); or FPCs or Consulting firms collaborating with authorized
foreign professional consultants or firms. Consortium and Association may carry
certain tax and legal implications.
o Consulting Architect (FPCA), Filipino Professional (see Filipino Professional
Consulting Architect)
o Consultant, Foreign (see Foreign Consultant or FC)
o Consulting Architect (PCA), Professional (see Professional Consulting Architect or
PCA)
o Consulting Agreement – binding covenant or understanding entered into by a
professional consulting architect (PCA) and/or consulting firm (i.e., RAF only) with
an Owner/Client (whether government, private, CSO or international community)
providing terms and conditions mutually agreed upon by the parties
o Consulting Architectural Firm (CAF) – (must also be registered with PRC and PRBoA
for offering professional architectural consulting services or PACS)
- an architectural corporation, association, group, partnership registered with
SEC or other government agency
- single proprietorship registered with DTI
o Total Project Cost – (see Project Cost)
o Cost, Salary (see Salary Cost)
o Direct Costs or Reimbursable Expenses – refer to expenses in connection or related
to the project that may include but not limited to the following:
- living and travelling expenses of employees, such as long-distance
telephone, telegraph, internet, short messaging system (SMS), cable,
express charge, postage etc.
- services directly applicable to the contracted architectural consulting work
such as special legal and accounting expenses, computer rental and
programming costs, special consultants, borings, laboratory charges,
commercial printing and bindings and similar costs that are not applicable to
general overhead.
- identifiable expenses for supplies and materials charged to the project at
hand, as distinguished from such supplies and expenses applicable to two or
more projects.
- identifiable reproduction costs applicable to the work, such as blue-printing,
mimeographing, printing, etc.
- These also include expenses, which seldom can be determined in advance
with any invoice costs, plus a service charge as may be mutually agreed
upon by the professional consulting architect (PCA) and his client, an in
accordance with the Architect’s Guidelines.
o Filipino Professional Consulting Architect (FPCA) – refers to a Filipino citizen, a
natural person who possesses the qualifications of a Filipino Professional Consultant
(FPC) as hereafter defined.
- must be a Philippine-registered and licensed architect (RLA)
 P a g e | 34

- in good standing of the IAPOA

- must be an RLA specializing in any or several branches of the profession (as
defined in RA 9266)
- note: if the FPCA signs and seals architectural documents, he becomes the
Architect-of-Record and assumes the attendant responsibilities and
liabilities
o Foreign Consultant (FC) or Foreign Architect (FA) – refers to individual, not a citizen
of the Philippines, who:
- satisfies the definition of a Professional Consulting Architect (PCA) as
hereafter provided.
- has a permit to work and/or do business in the Philippines in accordance
with the rules and regulations of the Commission Guidelines for the
Registration of Foreign Professionals (Res. No. 98-547); has acquired a
temporary/special permit (TSP) to engage in the practice architecture locally
in full accordance with the Board Resolutions implementing Secs. 37 and 38
of RA 9266.
- allowed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation (BID) and other concerned regulatory and/or
instrumentalities of government to practice the profession in the Philippines
- is a registered and/or licensed professional in his own country of origin
o Multiplier – refers to a factor which compensates the PCA for the following items:
o overhead costs of the office
o fringe benefits and social charges
o fee for contingencies
o interest on capital reserves
o profit
- NOTE: the multiplier varies according to the types of architectural
consulting work, the organization and experience of the PCA and the
geographic location of his office
o Overhead refers to the following:
- provisions for office, light, air-conditioning, and similar items for work;
- depreciation allowances or rental of furniture, equipment and instruments;
- vehicle and travel-related expenses;
- office supplies
- taxes and insurances other than those included as salary cost;
- library and periodical expenses and other means of keeping abreast with
new developments and/or technologies
- executive, administrative, accounting, legal, stenographic, and clerical
salaries and expenses, other than those that are identifiable as salaries
including reimbursable non-salary expenses, plus salaries or imputed
salaries of partners and principals to the extent that they perform general
executive and administrative services as distinguished from technical or
advisory services directly applicable to particular projects; these services and
expenses, essential to the conduct of the business, includes preliminary
arrangements for new projects or assignments, and interest on borrowed
capital;
- business development expenses, including salaries of principals and salary
costs of employees so engaged; and
 P a g e | 35

- provision for loss of productive time of technical employees between

assignments, and for time of principals and employees on public interest
assignments
o Professional Consulting Architect (PCA) –
- any natural or juridical person RLA or AF, with PIC and good IAPOA member
- also refers to natural or juridical person certified/recognized by the
concerned APO under the PTC or CBNE; qualified and competent
o Professional Organization, Accredited (APO) – generally refers to any organization
under CBNE and PTC (for the case of professional architectural consulting services,
the term specifically refers to IAPOA)
o Professional Architectural Consulting Services (PACS) – rendering by PCA or a
consulting firm of independent advices, extension of technical assistance and
services and other activities needed with expertise and competence
o Project Cost – total cost of the project including construction cost, professional fees,
land cost, ROW, legal, administrative and other related expenses of the client.
o Reimbursable Expenses (see Direct Costs)
o Salary Cost – means the cost of salaries (including sick leave, vacation, holiday and
incentive pay) of professional consultants for the time chargeable, plus excise and
payroll taxes as well as other imposable taxes/duties, and contributions for social
security and insurance benefits.
F. SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECTURAL CONSULTING SERVICES (PACS) – the scope is
defined by the PRC, PRBoA through IAPOA. It includes:
o program/project conceptualization and development
o rendering of technical advice, consultation and/or counselling
o participation of schematic/concept-level through preliminary plans, drawings,
designs and technical specifications;
o teaching, lecturing, coaching, mentoring;
o research and development (R&D);
o documentation;
o conduct of pre-investment/pre-feasibility and feasibility studies;
o marketing and promotional studies
o land use and multi-sectoral development planning, development and management;
o site selection, analyses, evaluation, ranking and development
o construction
o project/ construction management and/or administration
o post-construction evaluation
o monitoring and evaluation
o training, capability building and Continuing Professional Education (CPE); and
o Capital Investment Programming
G. Qualification of Professional Consulting Architects (PCAs) – must possess all of following:
o if natural person, must be Filipino citizen, RLA with PIC and good IAPOA standing
o if juridical person, SEC-registered partnership/corporation or DTI-registered sole
proprietorship (any in other concerned agencies). Note: the consulting firm must
have PRC-issued certificate to operate as a registered architectural firm (accordance
with RA 9266 and other derivative regulations)
o must have the minimum years active and relevant professional training and
experience in the specialization field (determined by IAPOA/PRBoA/PRC)
o endorsed and certified by the IAPOA as a member in good standing
 P a g e | 36

o has never been convicted of any criminal or administrative offense

H. Selection of Professional Consulting Architect (PCAs) – clients should consider:
o major consideration is the qualifications (competence, capabilities and integrity)
o only duly qualified FPCAs for fields of specialization under the CBNE. If no FPCA is
available, non-FPCA (i.e., Foreign Architects or Foreign Consulting Firms) is allowed
as long as at least 2 Filipino RLAs shall be employed as understudies.
o For government projects, PCA selection shall follow RA 9184 or the Government
Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) of 2003.
I. Manner of Providing Professional Architectural Consulting Services – PCA may provide
services directly or indirectly to the client (in accordance with PRC/PRBoA/IAPOA provisions)
J. Compensation of PACS
o computations depend on the type of services and service conditions
o PACS with only one specialization is different from PACS w/ more types of expertise
o compensation and allowances shall be comparable with foreign consulting service
compensation standards.
o for the same scope of work, there shall be no disparity in the compensation
between FPCA and FC (foreign consultant) counterparts.
o PCA compensations shall adhere to the provisions from Codes of Ethical Conduct
(CEC) and other SPP.
o all entities (government, private, CSO or international community) shall respect and
take cognizance of said CEC and SPPs.
o compensation of PCA can be one or combination of these methods (need
modifications are allowed):
- Per Diem or Hourly Basis (plus reimbursable expenses) – suited for
engagements involving intermittent personal service and must be based on
project complexity and experience of the PCA. When such consulting
services are furnished, the PCA is compensated for all his time of work
including travel time.
- Retainer (plus the reimbursable expenses) – used when PCA services are
expected to be required at intervals over a period of time. The retainer
assures that the services will be available when required. A stipulated
amount is paid at regular intervals for which PCA is required to provide
service.
- Salary Cost X multiplier + (direct cost/reimbursable expenses) –
a. Salary cost – total salaries of PCAs and their staff
b. Multiplier – factor of 3.0
o this method of remuneration is best suited when the costs are
difficult to pre-determine, or additional experimental/investigative
work can vary the scope of the project
o this method cannot be used when services is not measured by the
length of time a person worked (such as creative works)
- Fixed/Lump Sum Payment – may be used when PACS is clearly and fully
defined. Two methods can be used to determine the lump-sum
compensation (frequently used concurrently for checking)
a. percentage of estimated total project cost
b. direct development of a fixed amount of compensation by
estimating the individual elements of the cost outlines, plus
 P a g e | 37

a reasonable margin of profit, expressed as a single lump-

sum
o Where compensation is given on a lump-sum series, the agreements
should contain a clearly stated time limit during which the service/s
will be performed, and a provision for additional compensation for
extra time used. In design assignments, these should be a provision
for charges required after the approval of preliminary designs, with
clear understating as to where the final approval authority lies.
- Percentage of Total Project Cost – assumes that consultancy costs vary in
proportion with the total project cost. This can be applied only when the
approximate correlations are already established.
o Fees for artistic, innovative, and creative endeavor shall not be determined in
the same manner as services that involve purely technical and scientific
undertakings
o The criteria for establishing method/s of compensation shall be promulgated,
approved, and adopted by the IAPOA
o Interest Due on Late Payment of Fees – late payments of more than 30 days from
billing shall be entitled to interest (as set by BSP, IAPOA or when agreed by the PCA
and client)
K. Seal and Use of Seal under PACS – the PCA can only sign and seal architectural documents if
and only if he also acts as the Architect-of-Record of the project
L. Intellectual Property Rights for PACS – the documents and materials delivered or rendered
by PCA shall be protected by Secs 20 (4) and 33 of RA 9266, whether executed or not.
Duplication, replication, or repetition is only allowed when with written consent of the PCA
or author.
M. Professional Responsibility and Civil Liability for PACS
o all entities practicing PACS is legally responsible
o where applicable, the PCA can secure a Professional Liability Insurance Policy,
professional indemnity insurance or equivalent in bond form commensurate with
the magnitude and scope of project involvement with the corresponding
compensation, chargeable to the client.
N. Applicability – this SPP for PACS shall be adopted by IAPOA when it formulates the
guidelines and Manual of Procedure (MoP)
O. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) – if any dispute in these IRR and other laws shall be
resolved by modes of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mandated under R.A. 9285 (the
ADR Act of 2004 and its IRR) before referred to a competent court. ADR modes include
negotiation, conciliation, mediation and arbitration. ADR clause must therefore form part of
all PACS agreements.
P. Penalty Clause and Sanction – entities practicing PACS but are not qualified (particularly
under RA 9266) shall be sanctioned by appropriate public or private entities without
prejudice to existing laws.
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