Gary beat me to the punch about "Public Facilities"

Same is true for buildings that serve as a public conveyance- they are
required to be retained for the life of the facility, and in some states
beyond that to show conditions "as were" if demolition may have been
incomplete and some substructure components remain in place.

Another thing to consider is not only the requirements of the State in which
the Civil Engineering firm exists, but those in which it does work for. 

It's also not uncommon for some engineers to work on a contract basis for a
firm, so be sure to include provisions in the contract not only about
acceptance of liability for engineering work performed, but for ownership of
the work once completed, including any CAD files.

The whole issue of privately held firms doing work for public entities and
retention is a sticky wicket at best.  If there is nothing stated in the
contract obligating the firm to retain the records, then they can apply
their own standards.  If there is nothing in the contract stating CAD and
other materials are required as deliverables, then they aren't required to,
and can charge more if asked to AFTER the contract is negotiated.  

When contracts do state a retention requirement, make sure estimates include
potential costs of conversion and migration if the requirement exceeds 5
years, especially where CAD is involved, as you may need to retain licenses
for software that the firm discontinues using.

Larry
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