Structural Steel Scope of Work: Template and Checklist for Commercial GCs

Structural steel is the critical path trade on most mid-rise and high-rise commercial construction projects. A poorly defined structural steel scope of work — one that leaves anchor bolt installation, crane rigging, fireproofing, touch-up paint, and decking in grey zones — will generate significant change orders and schedule delays. This template covers the sub-trade requirements, package deliverables, and coordination checkpoints every PM and estimator needs before issuing a structural steel RFP.

Structural steel scopes must define the full system: primary members, secondary members, connections, decking, and all ancillary work required to achieve the structure shown on the structural engineer's IFC drawings.

Primary and Secondary Steel Members

• Primary structure: Wide-flange columns (W-series), beams (W-series), girders, and braced frame members per the structural drawings. Specify ASTM A992 for wide-flange sections; ASTM A36 for plates and angles; ASTM A500 Grade C for HSS (hollow structural sections). All material certifications (mill certs) to be submitted before fabrication begins.
• Secondary structure: Purlins, girts, bridging, and kickers. Specify member size, spacing, and attachment method per the drawings. Secondary members are frequently excluded from a "structural steel" bid when a separate steel sub handles them — define the scope boundary explicitly.
• Miscellaneous metals: Stairs, railings, ladders, overhead door tracks, lintels, shelf angles, equipment supports, and embeds. Miscellaneous metals are a common grey zone between the structural steel sub and a separate miscellaneous metals sub. Define which items are in scope with a specific list.

Connections and Fasteners

• All bolted connections to use ASTM F3125 Grade A325 (structural carbon steel) or A490 (high-strength alloy steel) bolts as specified on the drawings. Specify bearing-type or slip-critical connections per the connection schedule — slip-critical connections require Class A or B faying surface preparation and inspection.
• High-strength bolt installation: turn-of-nut method, calibrated wrench method, twist-off bolt method, or direct tension indicator (DTI) method per AISC 360 Section J3. Specify the pre-installation verification procedure (job-site verification testing).
• Welded connections: specify weld type (fillet, CJP, PJP, plug), weld size and length per drawings, and AWS D1.1 prequalified joint classification. All welders must be AWS D1.1 certified. Specify non-destructive testing (NDT) requirements for critical welds — typically UT (ultrasonic testing) for CJP welds in seismic applications.

Steel Deck

• Composite steel deck for concrete-filled floor systems is often in the structural steel scope or is a separate specialty scope. Define this explicitly. If in the structural steel scope, specify: deck profile (1.5" composite, 2" or 3" for longer spans), deck gauge (16 to 22 gauge), paint or galvanized finish, and attachment method (puddle welds at 12" o.c. maximum, per SDI specifications).
• Shear studs: Specify diameter (¾" is most common), length (after welding), spacing per the structural drawings, and AWS D1.1 Section 8 stud welding requirements. Shear studs require a pre-production weld test (bend test) before production welding begins.
• Roof deck: Specify deck profile and gauge for the roof system. Verify that the deck gauge and span rating match the roofing sub's requirements for attachment of roofing insulation and membrane.

Shop Fabrication and Surface Treatment

• Shop prime coat: Specify paint type (SSPC-SP6 commercial blast minimum, shop primer per SSPC-Paint 25 or equivalent) for all steel except surfaces to receive fireproofing or encasement. Steel that receives sprayed fire-resistive material (SFRM/intumescent) must be cleaned but not primed in most applications — confirm with the fireproofing sub.
• Field touch-up paint: Required at all bolted connections, field welds, damaged prime areas, and any area where the shop coat has been abraded. Include field touch-up explicitly in the structural steel scope — it is frequently excluded from bids.
• Galvanizing: Hot-dip galvanizing (ASTM A123) required for all exposed exterior steel, including lintels, shelf angles, and miscellaneous embeds not encased in concrete. Do not allow shop paint on exposed exterior structural steel.

Tip for PMs: The most common structural steel scope gap is anchor bolt installation. Anchor bolts are set by the concrete sub before the steel erection crew arrives, but they are typically designed by and coordinated through the steel fabricator. Define who supplies the anchor bolt template, who sets and surveys the bolts, and who is responsible for any re-work if bolts are out of tolerance.

Structural steel has the most demanding submittal process of any trade — fabrication shop drawings require structural engineer review before a single piece of steel is cut.

Required Submittals

• Fabrication shop drawings (erection drawings and detail drawings) stamped by a licensed engineer and reviewed/approved by the structural engineer of record before fabrication begins. Allow minimum 4–6 weeks for shop drawing preparation and review cycle.
• Mill certificates for all structural steel — confirming ASTM grade, heat number, chemistry, and mechanical properties
• Weld procedure specifications (WPS) and procedure qualification records (PQR) per AWS D1.1 for all welded connections
• Bolt installation procedure per AISC 360 — including pre-installation verification test results
• Shear stud weld test records per AWS D1.1 Section 8
• Paint product data: SSPC paint standard compliance

Steel Erection Plan and Crane Requirements

• Require a site-specific steel erection plan per OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart R, including: crane type, capacity, and positioning; multi-floor erection sequence; fall protection plan; and connection inspection sequence.
• Crane access and swing radius must be coordinated with the site logistics plan before award. Crane mobilization, road crossings, and any overhead power line clearances must be resolved before erection begins.

Best Practices from Leading GCs

• Issue anchor bolt templates to the concrete sub at least 6 weeks before the anchor bolt pour date. Anchor bolt errors are among the most expensive structural corrections — re-drilling, epoxy anchors, or re-pours are costly alternatives.
• Define the bolt inspection responsibility in the scope: the contractor is responsible for the installation; special inspection for high-strength bolt installation is required under IBC Section 1705.2 and must be performed by a third-party special inspector retained by the owner.
• For multi-storey erection, require the steel sub to have a plumbing-up plan showing how the frame will be plumbed and squared at each tier before permanent bolting begins. A frame that is allowed to proceed out of plumb is extraordinarily expensive to correct.

Structural steel coordinates with virtually every trade on the project. The earlier the coordination issues are resolved, the lower the change order exposure.

Fireproofing and Intumescent Coating

• Sprayed fire-resistive material (SFRM) application is a separate scope from structural steel erection. Define the sequence: steel erection → mechanical/electrical rough-in above deck (if any) → SFRM application → above-ceiling trades. SFRM cannot be applied over oil-contaminated steel — require the erection sub to manage oil and grease from erection equipment.
• Intumescent paint for exposed steel (in atriums, exposed structure in occupied spaces) requires a clean surface and specific primer compatibility. Confirm the intumescent product is compatible with the shop primer.

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Openings

• All floor deck openings for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical penetrations must be defined on the structural drawings before fabrication. Web openings in beams require structural engineer approval and may require reinforcing. Do not allow field-cut beam web openings without structural engineer sign-off.
• Coordinate MEP hanger attachments to structural steel: beam clip angles and threaded inserts in steel must be shop-fabricated. Field drilling into flanges and webs is generally prohibited without engineering review.

Pre-Installation Coordination Checklist

• Structural IFC drawings issued and structural engineer of record confirmed
• Shop drawings submitted, reviewed, and approved before fabrication
• Anchor bolt templates issued to concrete sub minimum 6 weeks before pour
• Anchor bolt survey complete — elevations and locations confirmed to tolerance before erection begins
• Crane access route and ground bearing capacity confirmed with geotechnical engineer
• OSHA erection plan submitted and reviewed
• Fireproofing scope and sequence confirmed with fireproofing sub
• MEP penetrations through deck and beams confirmed and shown on shop drawings

Tip for Estimators: When reviewing a structural steel bid, verify that the following are included: field touch-up paint, shear stud installation, steel deck, anchor bolt templates, and crane access. Each of these is commonly excluded from a base structural steel bid and will appear as an add-on if not clarified upfront.