When an architect, engineer, or contractor wishes to build something, it almost always has to submit the plans to the local entities having jurisdiction over trade and construction activities in that area. The reason for this is often political in nature (zoning, planning, public safety etc), But possibly most importantly, the plans are reviewed for code compliance. These reviews are typically done by the local engineer, inspector, mayor, etc in charge and a fee is charged for his time and any other future costs associated with the work. This fee is almost always paid for by the architect but is sometimes taken on by the contractor if he is providing a turnkey package to the project owner. The reason this is paid for primarily by the architect/engineer is due to the order of operations in construction operation and planning. Typically the local plan review and code compliance hurdles are overcome before committing the owner and the contractor to the bidding process.