CHAPTER 4. SELECTION OF THE CIVIL ENGINEER The selection of a civil engineer is an important decision to be made for an engineering project to come to fruition. 4.1 BASIS FOR SELECTION Basic questions that a client needs to be answered when selecting the most appropriate civil engineer are: 1, How is this civil engineer's reputation? How has the engineer dealt with its previous clients? Is the civil engineer duly registered? What is the civil engineer’s field of expertise? How about its staff Are they able to provide my needs given the size of their group? Can the civil engineer finish the project with its financial capability and resources? when The questions above are mostly applicable to projects of the private sector. For government projects, E.O. 164 and PD 1594 (to be discussed in the future) apply to procurement of consulting services and selection of contractor. 4.2 QUALIFICATION-BASED SELECTION (QBS) PROCEDURE Below are the steps that the client should undertake when selecting the civil engineer The client may issue a Request for Qualifications (RFO) ot Request for Proposals (RFP). RFQs ~ if you are looking for an engineer well versed in @ certain area of expertise; REPs — if you are looking for a civil engineer with a good project proposal. Prepare a budget for the staff time and costs that can be expected from potential civil engineer prior to receipt of the RFQs and RFPs 3. Evaluate the statements of qualifications received. Select at least three civil engineers or firms that may appear to be best qualified for the specific project. 4, Write a letter to each civil engineer describing the proposed project in detail, including a project scope and outline of services required, and asking for a proposal describing in detail the civil engineer's plan for managing and performing the required services, the personnel to be assigned, the proposed schedule, experience with similar projects, office location in which services are to be performed, financial standing, present workload, and references. Each civil engineer or firm should have an opportunity to visit the site, review all pertinent data and obtain clarification of any items as required 5. On receipt of proposals, invite the civil engineers or firms to meet individually with the selection committee for interviews and discussions of the desired end results of the project and the engineering services required. 6. Check with recent clients of each civil engineer or firm to determine the quality of their performance. This check need not be limited to references listed by the civil engineer.7. List the civil engineer or firms in order of preference, taking into account their approach and understanding of the project, reputation, experience, financial standing, size, personnel available, quality of references, workload, location, and other factors pertinent to the project being considered. 8. Invite the civil engineer considered to be best qualified to develop a detailed scope. List of deliverables and schedule, and to negotiate fair compensation for the services. 9. The compensation proposed by the civil engineer should be evaluated on the basis of the client’s experience and budget estimate, taking into account the range of charges reported; giving consideration to the project’s special characteristics and the scope of services agreed upon, Fair and reasonable compensation to the civil engineer is vital to the success of the project since it will enable the consultant's expertise to be fully utilized 10, If satisfactory agreement is not reached with the first civil engineer, the negotiations should be terminated and the civil engineer or firm be notified in writing to that effect. Similar negotiations should then be held with the second civil engineers or firm, and, if necessary, swith the third civil engineers or firm. If no accord is reached, the client should seek outside assistance before continuing with the selection process. Such a procedure will usually result in development of a satisfactory contract. All such negotiations should be on a strictly confidential basis, and in no case should the compensation discussed with one civil engineer be disclosed to another. 11, When agreement has been reached on scope, schedule, and compensation, the client and selected civil engineer should formalize their agreement in a written contract. 4.3 SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR “LEVEL OF EFFORT” CONTRACTS A Slevel of effiit? type of contract for engineering services is a contract procedure used to As applied to “level of effort” contracts, the QBS procedure sets forth the tobe reedered he andthe the contract period for each type and grade of specialist and then requests proposals from qualified firms. Proposals usually state the experience of the firm as it pertains to the given scope of services, and the backgrounds of the specialists available to work on the project. After nazrowing the proposals to those which best meet the experience qualifications, the client negotiates an agreement as described in paragraphs 9-11 above. Professional engineering and architectural societies recognize QBS as the preferred method for procurement of profesional services, In fact, the NEDA guidelines require the procurement of professional engineering and architectural services only by a process similar to that described in QBS above. Selection of civil engineers and related service professionals, including consultants and sub consultants on construction projects, should result from competition based on the qualifications and resources best suited to complete a project successfully in terms of performance quality andcost-effectiveness. Qualifications and resources, including taining, professional licensing experience, skills, capabilities, special expertise personnel, and workloads, are paramount considerations in engaging engineering services. Costs of these services, while important and meriting carefull negotiations and performance accountability, There are many reasons why bidding for consulting civil engineering services often produces unsatisfactory results for the client. Principal among these are: 1. Bidding does not recognize professional judgment, which is the key difference between professional services and the furnishing of products. Judgment is an essential ingredient in quality engineering services. 2. It is virtually impossible to completely detail in advance the scope of services required for an engineering project especially for the study and prelimi jhases without lengths discussions and negotiations with the selected frm, Lacking specific, the bing fame The consulting civil engineer selected by 4. The ee civil sees 5. The engineering designs are likely to be minimal in completeness with the details left to the contactor, This produces lowe Rist cost disign but tends to ad tothe cos of the completed project. The lack of design details can also lead to a greater umber of change The two-envelope system involves proposal in second envelope The client then evaluates the technical proposals and selects the |. At this point in the selection procedure, the client opens the price proposal submitted in the second socom and uses this as a basis for egotition of contractual scope and fees. The second If the client follows this procedure, the net effect is outlined it QBS provided that the client and best qualified consulting civil engineer have seope of serves This lows the cet to Civ eaginer in catablishing the seope of wervios Upon agreement of scope, the price of services. If both envelopes of all proposers are opened at the same time, a bidding process is initiated with attendant disadvantages. Procedures should be established to provide confirmation that the second envelope is opened for only the successful proposalThe two-envelope system is not recommended. If used as intended, it is similar to the recommended QBS procedure except that the added cost to prepare a comprehensive scope and price discourages some consulting civil engineers from participating. . The costs to prepare a proper price proposal are considerable to the firms not selected, which increases the overall business costs