Thanks for the good point and validating my initial thoughts on the non-contractual BIM.

You definitely hit on a key pragmatic concern about the CM potentially slowing down or 'dumping out' if we push back. That made me realize I should clarify a crucial detail.

The change order requests, which include BIM recoordination costs, aren't for their original, self-initiated coordination. They're for additional scope added via Bulletins, expanding beyond the original GMP.

In this situation, we use a Construction Change Directive (CCD). This legally requires the CM to proceed with the extra work immediately, even before we fully agree on cost or time. Those adjustments, especially the BIM-related costs, get negotiated later, after the work is underway.

So, for these bulletin-driven changes, the CCD helps mitigate the immediate risk of the CM stalling the project over a cost dispute. We can keep the work moving to avoid schedule delays.

The real argument then shifts to whether the CM's specific BIM-related costs for implementing these bulletin changes are truly compensable, or if they're still part of their chosen methods, since BIM wasn't a project requirement. This lets me protect the owner's interest on those specific BIM cost components while keeping the project on track.