Sec. 2166.355.  PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION;  RELATED SERVICES.  (a)  The design professional or the design professional's authorized representative shall perform professional inspection.
(b)  The design professional or the design professional's authorized representative shall:
(1)  assist the commission in obtaining proposals from contractors and in awarding and preparing construction contracts;
(2)  be responsible for interpretation of the contract documents and changes made to the contract documents;
(3)  provide an interpretation of plans and specifications as required during construction;
(4)  check and approve samples, schedules, shop drawings, and other submissions only for conformance with the design concept of the project and for compliance with the information in the contract documents;
(5)  approve or disapprove all change order requests and, subject to Section 2166.257, prepare all change orders;
(6)  assemble all written guarantees required of the contractors;
(7)  make periodic visits to the project site to become generally familiar with the progress and quality of the work and to determine in general if the work is proceeding in accordance with the contract documents;
(8)  make a written inspection report after each visit to the project site and send a copy of the report to the contractor and the commission;
(9)  keep the commission informed of the progress of the work and endeavor to guard against defects and deficiencies in contractors' work;
(10)  determine periodically the amount owing to the contractors and recommend to the commission payment of that amount;  and
(11)  conduct inspections to determine the dates of substantial and final completion and notify the commission and the using agency of the determination.
(c)  The amount of time that on-site inspections under Subsection (b)(7) take is computed by dividing the total compensation for professional services, excluding payments for detailed inspection, by 100, with the result expressed as the number of hours to be devoted to on-site inspections, project conferences with the contractor and others, and travel to and from those inspections and conferences.
(d)  A recommendation under Subsection (b)(10) constitutes a representation to the commission that:
(1)  based on observations and other pertinent information, the work has progressed to the point indicated;  and
(2)  to the best of the design professional's knowledge, information, and belief, the quality of the work is in accordance with the plans, specifications, and contract documents.
(e)  This section does not:
(1)  require the design professional to assume responsibility for or guarantee the complete adherence of the contractor to the plans and specifications and contract documents;  or
(2)  make the design professional liable for defects in construction.
(f)  If a private design professional is retained, the fee paid that design professional is considered to cover professional inspection but not the additional cost of detailed inspection beyond the administrative duties specifically encompassed by Section 2166.353(e).  If the commission's staff serves as design professional, the commission is responsible for professional supervision and the cost of supervision is a charge against the project.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 41, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.