(a) In procuring a CM/GC contract before the completion of the NEPA process, the contracting agency may:

(1) Issue solicitation documents;

(2) Proceed with the award of a CM/GC contract providing for preconstruction services and an option to enter into a future contract for construction services once the NEPA review process is complete;

(3) Issue notices to proceed to the CM/GC contractor for preconstruction services, excluding final design-related activities; and

(4) Issue a notice-to-proceed to a consultant design firm for the preliminary design and any work related to preliminary design of the project to the extent that those actions do not limit any reasonable range of alternatives.

(b) The contracting agency shall not initiate construction activities (even on an at-risk basis) or allow such activities to proceed prior to the completion of the NEPA process. The contracting agency shall not perform or contract for construction services (including early work packages of any kind) prior to the completion of the NEPA process.

(c) A contracting agency may proceed, solely at the risk and expense of the contracting agency, with design activities at any level of detail, including final design and preconstruction services associated with final design, for a CM/GC project before completion of the NEPA process without affecting subsequent approvals required for the project. However, FHWA shall not authorize final design activities and preconstruction services associated with final design, and such activities shall not be eligible for Federal funding as provided in § 635.506(c), until after the completion the NEPA process. A contracting agency may use a CM/GC contractor for preconstruction services associated with at-risk final design only if the contracting agency has a procedure for segregating the costs of the CM/GC contractor's at-risk work from preconstruction services eligible for reimbursement during the NEPA process. If a contracting agency decides to perform at-risk final design, it must notify FHWA of its decision to do so before undertaking such activities.

(d) The CM/GC contract must include termination provisions in the event the environmental review process does not result in the selection of a build alternative. This termination provision is in addition to the termination for cause or convenience clause required by Appendix II to 2 CFR part 200.

(e) If the contracting agency expects to use information from the CM/GC contractor in the NEPA review for the project, then the contracting agency is responsible for ensuring its CM/GC contract gives the contracting agency the right to obtain, as needed, technical information on all alternatives analyzed in the NEPA review.

(f) The CM/GC contract must include appropriate provisions ensuring no commitments are made to any alternative during the NEPA process, and that the comparative merits of all alternatives identified and considered during the NEPA process, including the no-build alternative, will be evaluated and fairly considered.

(g) The CM/GC contractor must not prepare NEPA documentation or have any decisionmaking responsibility with respect to the NEPA process. However, the CM/GC contractor may be requested to provide information about the project and possible mitigation actions, including constructability information, and its work product may be considered in the NEPA analysis and included in the record.

(h) Any contract for construction services under a CM/GC contract must include appropriate provisions ensuring that all environmental and mitigation measures identified in the NEPA documentation and committed to in the NEPA determination for the selected alternative will be implemented, excepting only measures the contracting agency expressly describes in the CM/GC contract as excluded because they are the responsibility of others.