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Council Policy 8-1 Engineering & Architectural Selection Process

8-1 ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURAL SELECTION PROCESS

DISTRIBUTION:       Mayor & Council Members

                                 All City Departments

 

SUBJECT:                 Engineering & Architectural Selection Process

 

PURPOSE:               To establish a Council Committee to oversee the selection process for Engineering and Architectural firms and to establish procedures for hiring engineering and architectural firms for public works projects, that ensure the best possible qualifications at a negotiated fee that is fair and reasonable to both parties.

 

POLICY/PROCEDURES:

           

            I.           A Council Committee composed of four Council members and the City Engineer is herby established which shall make recommendations to the City Council concerning the hiring of engineering and architectural firms.

 

            II.         For projects with expected fee amounts of less than Twenty Thousand Dollars ($ 20,000), the City Engineer shall contact the most qualified firm available to perform the engineering/architectural services and shall negotiate a fee that is fair and reasonable to both parties for the services to be rendered.  If a satisfactory fee amount is negotiated, the selected firm shall be authorized to proceed with the work.

 

            III.        For projects with expected fee amounts of more than Twenty Thousand ($ 20,000), and less than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($ 50,000), the City Engineer shall contact the most qualified firm available to perform the engineering/architectural services and shall negotiate a fee that is fair and reasonable to both parties for the services to be rendered.  If a satisfactory fee amount is negotiated, a contract shall be approved by the City Council for the desired work.

 

            IV.       For projects with expected fee amounts of more than Fifty Thousand Dollars ($ 50,000), a formal selection process shall be utilized as follows:

                       

  1. All firms interested in providing services to the City of Lawton shall submit a complete resume (Standard Form 254) of the firm’s qualifications and shall identify the types and sizes of projects in which they wish to be considered. This information is to be retained on file by the City of Lawton and shall be updated periodically.

 

  1. Each and every engineering and architectural firm with a Standard Form 254 on file with the City of Lawton and all other firms expressing an interest, shall be sent Requests for Proposals (RFP) on every public works project requiring professional services.  The City Engineer shall maintain a log of all Requests for Proposals sent to all firms.  The log shall include name of project, name/address of firm and sate request was mailed to firm.

 

Requests for proposals shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the following:

 

  1.  Project Understanding/Approach
  2. Scope of Work
  3. Project Team
  4. Project Schedule
  5. Related Experience and Qualifications
  6. Insurance

 

The Request for Proposals shall contain a time limit for submission in order to be considered.  The time limit shall be the same to every prospective firm.

 

  1. All qualification and proposal statements submitted shall be reviewed by the professional staff and the designated Council Committee on Engineer Selection to determine the qualifications of each firm.  From this review, the Council Committee on Engineer Selection shall select a firm based upon the professional qualifications and technical experience of the firm. The City Engineer shall negotiate a contract with the highest qualified firm provided that a fee can be negotiated that is fair and reasonable to both parties.  In the event a reasonable fee cannot be negotiated with the selected firm, the City Engineer may negotiate with other firms in order of their qualifications with approval from the Council Committee on Engineer Selection.

 

  1. Final selection and approval shall be by the entire City Council and after approval by the City Council a contract will be prepared for execution.

 

  1. At the discretion of the City Council, the Council Committee on Engineer Selection may interview firms to determine the most qualified firm.

 

The professional staff shall be present at all interviews to advise and counsel the committee regarding technical questions which may arise in the interviews.

 

A written format of questioning shall be established for the purpose of interviewing to provide proper comparison of firms.

                                   

                                   

  1. Minimum requirements for Professional Liability Insurance and other insurance coverage shall be as follows:

 

Workmen’s Compensation

 

Employer’s Liability                                  $   500,000

 

Comprehensive General Liability and Bodily Harm

 

Bodily Injury                                             $   125,000 each occurrence

Property Damage                                     $   100,000 each occurrence

 

Combined Single Limit:                            $1,000,000 aggregate

 

Comprehensive Automobile Liability

 

Bodily Injury                                             $   125,000 each occurrence

 

Property Damage                                     $   100,000 each occurrence

 

Combined Single Limit:                            $1,000,000 aggregate

 

Professional Liability

(Error and Omissions) (Dependent on Project)

 

The minimum amount of Professional Liability Insurance will be determined by the City Engineer for each project.

 

REFERENCES:                None

 

RESPONSIBLE

DEPARTMENT:                Public Works

 

RESCISSION &

EFFECTIVE DATE:          This Council Policy supersedes Council Policy No. 8-1 dated March 12, 2002, and shall remain in effect until such time as a new Council or Administrative Policy is affected.

 

__________________________________

Fred L. Fitch

Mayor

 

 

November 9, 2010