Engineering Professional Services

The purpose of the District’s engineering professional services consultant selection policy/procedure is to define guidelines for the procurement of engineering, architectural, and survey services which are consistent with Federal and State law requiring qualifications-based selection.  Following is a summary of this policy.

1. Each winter, the Engineering Department requests that all previously prequalified consultants re-qualify. Existing and new consultants may also pre-qualify anytime during the year. The consultant requests certification in the areas listed: construction management, geotechnical services, sewer and channel design, sewer and process design, surveying, sewers, large facilities, small pump stations, natural channel, and building.
2. The information submitted is reviewed by the Engineering Department. The consultant is informed of the areas in which they have been prequalified.
3. MSD does not prequalify sub-consultants.
4. MSD uses a quality based selection (QBS) process in compliance with State regulations per the attached Consultant Selection Policy/Procedure. For projects over $500,000 in fee, all prequalified consultants are asked to submit a general qualifications package (Request for Qualifications, or RFQs) describing the qualifications and experience of their team. A Short List Committee consisting of representatives from Engineering, Operations, and Human Resources (Diversity) usually short-list three consultants for each project. For projects less than $500,000 in fee, the same Short List Committee uses the information in the prequalification package to short-list three firms to submit on two similar projects.
5. The short-listed consultants are asked to then submit detail proposals (Requests for Proposals, RFP’s) for each project. The RFP must address the consultant’s understanding of the project, project team, schedule, staff workload, past experience, and MWBE participation. A Selection Committee consisting of different representatives from Engineering and Operations selects the best proposals with concurrence from Human Resources (Diversity). The Executive Director approves these selections.
6. The staff enters into contract negotiations. If a reasonable contract cannot be negotiated, the staff will go to the second place consultant and start contract negotiations.
7. The selected consultant and the negotiated contract value are brought to the Board of Trustees for approval.

Need more information? The contact for professional consultants is (314) 768-6285.