The NCS is a standard for organizing and classifying drawings and other electronic building design data, fostering streamlined communication among building owners, designers, constructors and facility managers.

The agreement provides a legal and business foundation for publication of Version 3.0 of the NCS in early 2004 and subsequent versions.

Signing the agreement were Karl Borgstrom, Ph.D., executive director, the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI); David Harris, FAIA, president, the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS); and James Dinegar, chief operating officer, the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The three organizations have jointly published the NCS since 1999, developed through a consensus process open to participants from all sectors of the building industry.

The agreement, a successor of previous agreements, broadens and deepens the partnership among the three organizations. It also will lead to enhancements for the NCS, including an electronic edition accessible to users on their computers via single user, workgroup and enterprise (company-wide) licenses.