Common acronyms in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry
One of the best ways to build a solid relationship with your client is to understand their business and their terminology. From purchasing processes to request documents to equipment used, here are some acronyms you should know. Brush up and show your stuff!
Requests and Purchasing:
- ASR: additional services request
- CIP: capital improvement program
- GMP: guaranteed maximum price contract
- IDIQ: indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity
- MOU: Memorandum of Understanding
- MSA: Master Services Agreement
- NTP: Notice to Proceed
- P3: Public-private partnership
- PO: purchase order
- RFI: Request for Information
- RFP: Request for Proposal
- RFQ: Request for Qualifications
- ROM: rough order of magnitude
- TO: task order
Specific to Client Disciplines:
- AV: audiovisual
- BMP: best management practices
- CATV: cable television
- CMR: common mode rejection
- CON: certificate of need
- CPTED: crime prevention through environmental design
- CTS: Certified Technology Specialist
- DVI: digital video interface
- EMT: electrical metallic tubing
- HDMI: high-definition multimedia interface
- HIMSS: Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
- HIT: healthcare information technology
- IDS: intrusion detection system
- IMD: intermodulation distortion
- IPTV: internet protocol television
- IT: information technology
- MRI: magnetic resonance imaging
- MTR: main telecommunications room
- NC: noise criteria
- O&M: Operations and Maintenance
- OR: operating room
- OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- PAG-NAG: potential audio gain-needed audio gain
- PTZ: pan/tilt/zoom
- SDI: serial digital interface
- SRRE: source reduction and recycling elements
- SPCC: spill prevention control and countermeasure
- STC: sound transmission class
- SWPPP: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
- THD: total harmonic distortion
- TMDL: total maximum daily load
- TMP: thermal mechanical pulp
- USACE: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture
- USFS: U.S. Forest Service
- USFWS: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- USGBC: U.S. Green Building Council
- USGS: U.S. Geological Survey
- UST: underground storage tank
- VFD: variable frequency drives
- VOC: volatile organic compound
- WTE: waste-to-energy
- WTP: water treatment plant
- WWTP: wastewater treatment plant
Other Items:
- AEC: architecture, engineering, and construction
- FFE: furniture, fixtures and equipment
- GSF: gross square footage
- LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
- LS: linear foot
- NSF: net square feet
- RSF: rentable square footage
- SF: square footage or square feet
