The construction contract can be written in one of two ways. The first way is for the security/surveillance systems to be included in the construction documents. This makes the GC responsible for the work, and he or she normally has full control over which integrator is hired to do the work. In these cases, the integrator works for the GC throughout the construction phase and until expiration of any post-construction warranties. During this period, the GC is the integrator's customer. After the warranty period, the GC exits the picture and the owner may choose to hire the integrator directly to perform maintenance and make system upgrades.
The second way is for the construction documents to specify that the security/surveillance systems are to be "provided by owner". In this case, the integrator contracts directly with the owner, making the owner the integrator's customer. The GC has a duty to work cooperatively with the owner's integrator, but has no contractual responsibility for the outcome of the integrator's work.
While most integrators prefer the second approach, it can dilute responsibility for the overall project and can create real problems for the owner if things go wrong. For this reason, many experienced owners prefer to funnel all work through the GC, making him totally responsible for everything, including the security/surveillance systems.