The term introduced by ISO 19650 typically describes the Tier 1 Main Contractor.

For example: :

• Tier 1 = Lead Appointed Party
• Tier 2 and below = Appointed Party

The Lead Appointed Party is a specific entity directly appointed (employed) by the primary client (appointing party).

Example: The client (Appointing Party) signs a contract with Tier 1 Main Contractor to lead the management process of the project; therefore, the Main Contractor becomes the Lead Appointed Party, or project party responsible for coordinating information between the project task teams and the appointing party (client) becomes the Lead Appointed Party.

Following the appointment, the main contractor who becomes the  Lead Appointed Party may employ sub-contractors;

In this case, the Lead Appointed Party will become an employer of Tier 2 and lower Tiers.

Thus the Tier 2 parties will become Appointed Parties

Technically the appointed lead who employs (appoints) tier 2, 3 and lower-tier contractors becomes an appointing party¹ – this is not what ISO 19650 standards envisage, it would only be true if the Tier 1 Main Contractor were at the top of the employment hierarchy.

The term Lead Appointed Party has been introduced to avoid the use of word ‘employer’ and ‘contract’ and to make sure the term can be used in facilities management where the form of contractual engagement is not always formal and to make sure the role is recognized internationally

Clarifications:

Appointment = contract

Top of the employment hierarchy = Appointing Party

Tier 1 Contractor = Lead Appointed Party

Tier 2 and below = Appointed Party

    UK BIM Alliance responding to the inconsistency between the current guidance of CIC BIM Protocol, Second Edition 2018 and ISO 19650 Framework published an updated Information protocol to support BS EN ISO 19650-2 the delivery phase of assets (Framework). The publication recognized the need for incorporation of new terms used in contract law, namely: ‘Appointor’ and ‘Appointee’. The meaning of the terms in relation to the ISO 19650 Framework is shown in Table 1

Table 1- Framework terms ‘Appointor’ and ‘Appointee’

Example: Client appointing the Lead Appointed Party or Lead Appointed Party appointing the Sub Contractor (Task Team/Appointed Party)

Example: the Tier 1 appointed by the Client or Task Team sub-contractor appointed by Tier 1