QUALIFICATION BASE SELECTION
Prepare a budget for the staff time
PROCEDURE (QBS)
✓ When client is fully familiar with the
purpose and nature of the proposed
project, can describe the project in
detail and can prepare a project
scope and outline services expected
of the Civil Engineer.
✓ Client may not have professional
staff available to define the project
scope and describe the required
services.
CLIENTS STEPS IN THE SELECTION
PROCEDURE
1. By invitation or by public notice the
general nature of the project, the
services required and
statement of qualifications
experience from CE who appear to be
capable of meeting the
requirements. Client may issue a
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) or
Request for Proposal (RFP).
o RFQ are used to ascertain the
general qualifications in a
selected area of expertise
o RFP used to seek CE for
creating “short lists”
selecting CE for a specified
project.
2.
and costs that can be expected from
potential CE prior to receipt of the
RFQ or RFP’s.
3. Evaluate the statements of
qualification received. Select at least
three CE or firms that may appear to
be best qualified for the specific
project. It should be noted that often
more than three CE or firms may
appear to be more qualified. To those
who are not selected, it is usually best
to make a conscientious effort to keep
the number selected for further
request
consideration for realistic minimum
and
in view of the cost and time required
to prepare competent proposals.
project
4. Write a letter to each CE or selected
for further consideration describing
the proposed project in detail,
including a project scope and outline
of services required, and asking for a
proposal describing in detail the CE’s
plan for managing and performing the
for
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. standing, size, personnel available,
Each CE or firm should have an quality of references, workload,
opportunity to visit the site, review all location, and other factors pertinent to
pertinent data and obtain clarification the project being considered.
of any items required. For major
complex project a pre-proposal 8. Invite the CE considered to be best

conference may be desirable to qualified to developed a detailed

explain details of the proposed scope scope. List of deliverables and

of services and to answer questions. schedule, and to negotiate fair

compensation for the services.
5. On receipt of proposal, invite the CE
or firms to meet individually with the 9. The compensation proposed by the

selection committee for interviews CE should be evaluated based on the

and discussions of the desired end client’s experience and budget

results of the project and the estimate, taking account of the range

engineering services required. Those of charges reported in Section 4

interviews may be held at the CE’s herein; considering the project’s

office. The client may consider special characteristics and the scope

supplementing the selection of services agreed upon. Fair and

committee with personnel who have reasonable compensation to the CE is

specialized expertise to advise the vital to the success of the project

committee, when appropriate. since it will enable the consultant’s

expertise to be fully utilized.
6. Check with recent clients each CE or
firm to determine the quality of their 10. If satisfactory agreement is not

performance. This check need not be reached with the first CE, the

limited to references listed by the CE. negotiations should be terminated and

the CE or firm be notified in writing
7. List the CE or firms in the order of to that effect. Similar negotiation
preference considering their approach should then be held with the second
and understanding of the project, CE or firm and, if necessary, with the
reputation, experience, financial third CE or firm. If no accord is
 reached, the client should seek UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS OF
outside assistance before continuing BIDDING TO CLIENTS
with the selection process.
1. Bidding does not recognize
professional judgement.
11. When agreement has been reached on
2. Impossible to detail in advance the
scope, schedule, and compensation
scope of services required for an
the client and the selected CE should
engineering project especially in
formalized their agreement in a
preliminary phase.
written contract.
3. In depth studies by the consulting CE
are no likely to be performed.
SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR 4. The CE’s flexibility and creative in
“LEVEL OF EFFORT meeting are limited.
CONTRACTS” 5. The engineering designs are likely to
be minimal.
LEVEL OF EFFORT
TWO ENVELOPED SYSTEM
o Contract that provides extension to
client or staff or by adding special o Submission of technical proposal in
disciplines not available on the one enveloped and second enveloped
client’s staff. for price proposal.
o Proposals usually states the o Client opens the technical proposal
experience of the firm, background first then next is the price proposal
of the specialist available. submitted in the second envelope and
use this as a basis for negotiation of
BIDDING
contractual scope and fees.
o Competition based on qualification o Second envelopes submitted by
and resources. Qualification and unsuccessful proposers are returned
resources include, training unopened.
experience, skills, capabilities, o If the client follows this procedure,
special expertise personnel, then, net effect is outlined in
workloads. “Qualification-Based Selection
Procedure”
o If both envelopes of all proposers are
opened at the same time, as discuss
in “bidding” is initiated with
attendant disadvantages. Procedure
should be established to provide
confirmation that the second
envelope is opened for only the
successful proposal.
o Two envelope system is not
recommended. If used as intended, it
is like the recommended QBS
procedure except that the added cost
to prepare a comprehensive scope
and price discourages some
consulting CE from participating.