School Board of the City of Virginia Beach
Policy 3-39
BUSINESS AND NONINSTRUCTIONAL OPERATIONS
Competitive Negotiations/Awards: Procurement of Professional Architectural and Engineering Services
A. Generally
It shall be the policy of the School Board of the City of Virginia Beach to announce projects, select consultants and negotiate agreements for architectural and engineering services on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualification for services required and at fair and reasonable fees in conformity with the Virginia Public Procurement Act.
B. Definition
Architectural or engineering services are those professional consulting services associated with research, development, design and construction, alteration, or repair of real property, as well as incidental services that members of these professions and those in their employ may logically or justifiably perform including, but not limited to, studies, investigations, surveys, evaluations, consultations, planning, programming, conceptual designs, plans and specifications, cost estimates, inspections, and other related services.
C. Registration
Architects and engineers are encouraged to submit statements of current qualifications and performance data for registration and reference purposes. The federal government standard form 254 and standard form 255 may be included in this data. These statements will be kept on file by the school board in the Office of Facilities Planning and Construction and used as a basis for preliminary selection. The school board may announce projects which require architectural or engineering services to qualified firms on file with the school board by publicizing descriptions periodically in newspapers, by posting announcements of projects on a bulletin board, or any other methods to publicize the need for consulting services. Factors to be considered for selection purposes shall be communicated in the project announcement.
D. Administrative Review: Expressions of Interest
After expressions of interest are received, a review of all firms responding to determine those firms best qualified for the services desired shall be conducted by the appropriate staff designated by the Director of Facilities Planning and Construction as the Superintendent's designee. A minimum of three firms shall be selected for interview from among those responding or on file. The firms selected to be interviewed shall be submitted to the superintendent for approval by the Director of Facilities Planning and Construction.
E. Interview for Selection Purposes
The interview, for selection purposes, shall be performed by school staff employees to include five (5) individuals. The staff employees shall consist of the superintendent's designee, the Director of Facilities Planning and Construction, the Staff Architect and two individuals designated by the Director of Facilities Planning and Construction.
Factors to be considered for selection purposes are as follows:F. Negotiations
1. The expressed desire of the firm to perform the services.
2. Professional qualifications of the staff or design team to be assigned to this project.
3. The extent of specialized experience of the firm in the type of work required.
4. The capacity of the firm to accomplish the work in the required time.
5. The degree of familiarity of the firm and the particular project requirements.
6. Past performance of the firm on similar projects in general and school board projects in particular.
7. Experience and qualification of any consultants to be used by the architect and engineer.
8. Current work volume that will effect the ability to complete the work in the required time frame.
9. Evidence of cost control effectiveness.
The foregoing procedures do not apply to:J. Definitions and Procedures for Exclusions
1. Contracts involving estimated fees of less than $30,000.
2. Contracts of an emergency nature.