Change Order Review
Workflow purpose
Convert a change order request into an informed decision with a cost, schedule, and contingency view. Route to the correct approval row. Keep the change-order trail clean for draw review and cost-to-complete.
Trigger conditions
- Explicit: "review change order", "CO evaluation", "PCO review".
- Implicit: GC submits a PCO; owner requests scope change; RFI produces a cost impact.
- Recurring: as each CO arrives.
Inputs (required / optional)
| Input |
Type |
Required |
Notes |
| CO package |
doc |
required |
narrative, line items, schedule |
| Original scope and contract |
doc |
required |
basis |
| Prior COs |
table |
required |
cumulative view |
| Estimator baseline |
estimate |
required |
for re-estimate |
| Schedule record |
record |
required |
for impact |
| Contingency status |
derived |
required |
contingency_remaining, burn rate |
Outputs
| Output |
Type |
Shape |
| CO review memo |
memo |
scope, cost, schedule, contingency impact, recommendation |
| Updated contract value |
record |
with CO pending or approved state |
| Updated schedule |
record |
milestone impacts |
| Approval request |
request |
row 10 or 11 |
Required context
Asset_class, segment, form_factor, market, project.
Process
- Scope validation. Compare CO narrative to original contract and current scope; identify whether the change is scope add, deduct, credit, or clarification.
- Re-estimate. Apply library, labor, and material references; compare to GC's proposed cost.
- Schedule impact. Evaluate milestone impacts; compute
schedule_variance_days delta.
- Contingency impact. Compute
contingency_remaining and contingency_burn_rate after CO. If burn exceeds overlay band, flag.
- Decision recommendation. Approve / negotiate / reject based on scope rationale and cost variance.
- Approval routing. Row 10 for minor; row 11 for major. Thresholds overlay-driven.
- Safety-critical scope change. If change defers or modifies life-safety scope, row 4 also applies.
- Documentation. Update contract register, schedule register, change-order log.
- Confidence banner. References surfaced.
Metrics used
change_orders_pct_of_contract, contingency_remaining, contingency_burn_rate, cost_to_complete, schedule_variance_days.
Reference files used
reference/normalized/capex_line_items__{scope}.csvreference/normalized/labor_rates__{market}.csvreference/normalized/material_costs__{region}_residential.csvreference/derived/contingency_assumptions__{org}.csvreference/normalized/approval_threshold_defaults.csv
Escalation points
- Minor CO: row 10.
- Major CO: row 11.
- Safety-scope deferral: row 4.
Required approvals
- Minor change order (row 10).
- Major change order (row 11).
Failure modes
- Approving without re-estimate. Fix: re-estimate mandatory.
- Missing schedule impact. Fix: schedule impact mandatory.
- Approving without contingency view. Fix: contingency impact mandatory.
- Treating scope clarification as added cost. Fix: scope validation classifies.
- Safety-scope deferral silent. Fix: row 4 gate.
Edge cases
- Owner-initiated change: track separately; may be funded outside project budget per overlay.
- Differing site condition: overlay may require third-party verification before approval.
- Credit CO: ensure credit flows to owner; not netted silently.
- Chain of COs from one RFI: aggregate for approval level.
Example invocations
- "Review the PCO submitted for Ashford Park amenity refresh."
- "CO log for the Willow Creek renovation program — anything trending hot?"
- "Evaluate this scope change request on Riverbend construction."
Example outputs
Output — CO review (abridged, amenity refresh PCO)
Scope. Scope add per owner direction; library mapping present.
Re-estimate. Cost within overlay range of GC proposal; negotiation lever identified in one line.
Schedule. No critical path impact; schedule_variance_days unchanged.
Contingency. contingency_remaining after CO within overlay band; contingency_burn_rate within tolerance.
Recommendation. Approve at negotiated line adjustment; approval_request row 10 opened.
Confidence banner. capex_line_items__amenity@2026-03-31, status=starter. contingency_assumptions@2026-03-31, status=starter.
1---2name: change-order-review3description: Reviews each proposed change order: validates scope basis, re-estimates cost, checks schedule impact, evaluates against contingency, recommends approval or rejection, and routes to the correct approval row by dollar threshold. Tracks `change_orders_pct_of_contract` and `contingency_burn_rate`.4---56# Change Order Review78## Workflow purpose910Convert a change order request into an informed decision with a cost, schedule, and contingency view. Route to the correct approval row. Keep the change-order trail clean for draw review and cost-to-complete.1112## Trigger conditions1314- **Explicit:** "review change order", "CO evaluation", "PCO review".15- **Implicit:** GC submits a PCO; owner requests scope change; RFI produces a cost impact.16- **Recurring:** as each CO arrives.1718## Inputs (required / optional)1920| Input | Type | Required | Notes |21|---|---|---|---|22| CO package | doc | required | narrative, line items, schedule |23| Original scope and contract | doc | required | basis |24| Prior COs | table | required | cumulative view |25| Estimator baseline | estimate | required | for re-estimate |26| Schedule record | record | required | for impact |27| Contingency status | derived | required | `contingency_remaining`, burn rate |2829## Outputs3031| Output | Type | Shape |32|---|---|---|33| CO review memo | `memo` | scope, cost, schedule, contingency impact, recommendation |34| Updated contract value | record | with CO pending or approved state |35| Updated schedule | record | milestone impacts |36| Approval request | request | row 10 or 11 |3738## Required context3940Asset_class, segment, form_factor, market, project.4142## Process43441. **Scope validation.** Compare CO narrative to original contract and current scope; identify whether the change is scope add, deduct, credit, or clarification.452. **Re-estimate.** Apply library, labor, and material references; compare to GC's proposed cost.463. **Schedule impact.** Evaluate milestone impacts; compute `schedule_variance_days` delta.474. **Contingency impact.** Compute `contingency_remaining` and `contingency_burn_rate` after CO. If burn exceeds overlay band, flag.485. **Decision recommendation.** Approve / negotiate / reject based on scope rationale and cost variance.496. **Approval routing.** Row 10 for minor; row 11 for major. Thresholds overlay-driven.507. **Safety-critical scope change.** If change defers or modifies life-safety scope, row 4 also applies.518. **Documentation.** Update contract register, schedule register, change-order log.529. **Confidence banner.** References surfaced.5354## Metrics used5556`change_orders_pct_of_contract`, `contingency_remaining`, `contingency_burn_rate`, `cost_to_complete`, `schedule_variance_days`.5758## Reference files used5960- `reference/normalized/capex_line_items__{scope}.csv`61- `reference/normalized/labor_rates__{market}.csv`62- `reference/normalized/material_costs__{region}_residential.csv`63- `reference/derived/contingency_assumptions__{org}.csv`64- `reference/normalized/approval_threshold_defaults.csv`6566## Escalation points6768- Minor CO: row 10.69- Major CO: row 11.70- Safety-scope deferral: row 4.7172## Required approvals7374- Minor change order (row 10).75- Major change order (row 11).7677## Failure modes78791. Approving without re-estimate. Fix: re-estimate mandatory.802. Missing schedule impact. Fix: schedule impact mandatory.813. Approving without contingency view. Fix: contingency impact mandatory.824. Treating scope clarification as added cost. Fix: scope validation classifies.835. Safety-scope deferral silent. Fix: row 4 gate.8485## Edge cases8687- **Owner-initiated change:** track separately; may be funded outside project budget per overlay.88- **Differing site condition:** overlay may require third-party verification before approval.89- **Credit CO:** ensure credit flows to owner; not netted silently.90- **Chain of COs from one RFI:** aggregate for approval level.9192## Example invocations93941. "Review the PCO submitted for Ashford Park amenity refresh."952. "CO log for the Willow Creek renovation program — anything trending hot?"963. "Evaluate this scope change request on Riverbend construction."9798## Example outputs99100### Output — CO review (abridged, amenity refresh PCO)101102**Scope.** Scope add per owner direction; library mapping present.103104**Re-estimate.** Cost within overlay range of GC proposal; negotiation lever identified in one line.105106**Schedule.** No critical path impact; `schedule_variance_days` unchanged.107108**Contingency.** `contingency_remaining` after CO within overlay band; `contingency_burn_rate` within tolerance.109110**Recommendation.** Approve at negotiated line adjustment; `approval_request` row 10 opened.111112**Confidence banner.** `capex_line_items__amenity@2026-03-31, status=starter`. `contingency_assumptions@2026-03-31, status=starter`.
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