HIRING AN A/E FIRM -- TOP TEN KEYS TO SUCCESS
10. Send the Request for Proposals (RFP) to a Select Few
An open request may result in dozens of responses that you’ll have to wade through. The time requirements could be enormous and you might have trouble selecting a firm. Worse, you might select a firm that turns out to be unsuitable for your project. A better approach is to either send the RFP directly to a select list of firms you already know or to send out a broad Request for Qualifications (RFQ), then get specific proposals from a “shortlist” of the best RFQ submittals. This will help you keep your sanity!
9. Develop a prequalified list of consultants
Usually when you need a consultant, time is of the essence. Going through an open solicitation is time consuming and sometimes doesn’t get you the best consultant for your particular project. A better route is to send out an RFQ and choose from the respondents to make a “prequalified” list that lasts for 3-5 years. Then when you’re ready to go with a project you can ask the prequalified consultants for a more specific proposal and cost, saving you time and headaches while keeping the consultants competitive.
8. Consider Factors Other Than Cost
Unlike buying a copier, successful contracting for A/E services involves complex choices. All Canon ImageRunner 3200 printer/copiers will perform similarly, but will all Project Managers work well with you and your staff? How will they present to the public if this is a component of the work? How much experience do they have? It is the individuals that make the firm and consequently the project successful. Make sure that you are confident that the staff promised to you will be working on the project. Sometimes consultants will pull the infamous “bait and switch” method to get work.
Consultant costs can be misleading because the cost depends on the assumptions they’ve made, which may or may not be evident from the proposal. Employing the least-cost consultant may not result in the most cost-effective project overall.
7. Everyone Has A Choice
Most consultants covet clients who choose based on qualifications and then negotiate the cost. A second best approach is a two-envelope approach where you choose first based on the qualifications, then look at the cost of the top 2 or 3 to see if they are reasonably in the same ballpark.
6. Specify Submission Format
One of the things that will make your job easier is if every proposal is in the same format. This will make comparison less time consuming. Just list what you want and in what sections. Example: Firms submitting RFQ packages should include a cover letter, section 1 – about the firm; section 2 – experience; section 3 – staffing; section 4 – references.
5. Give budget/cost guidance
If you ask for prices, you might get a wide range if you don’t specify unknowns. A wide range of prices usually means that proposers read either more or less into your scope than you intended. How many meetings do you expect the consultant to attend? How many and what deliverables are to be submitted? If you don’t know, then give the respondents something to use as an assumption. Examples: Assume attendance at up to 4 meetings. Provide 100 copies and an unbound original of the final report. Assume a draft and final version incorporating comments.
4. Include construction involvement of the design consultant
If excluded, this is a significant problem that can derail the entire project. Without close observation, contractors may deviate from the specifications and plans, sometimes by a lot. As a result, the project may no longer meet its intent and construction dollars could be a waste.
If you want the project to be done right, hire the design consultant to provide oversight at an appropriate interval, or to save some dollars, provide trained, full-time in-house professional inspectors and hire the design consultant to provide at least some oversight services in conjunction with your in-house staff. Although it may seem costly on its face, the money saved in avoiding contractor change orders usually far exceeds the cost of good construction services.
3. Include all relevant information and requirements in the RFP
Including relevant project information avoids extra calls and confusion. Lack of clarity in what you want or including extraneous requirements may be cause for some consultants to walk away from proposing on the project. For example, construction contracts may have performance bonds but engineering services agreements do not. Be careful in using the cut and paste method in developing a RFP. You’ll also want to tell the prospective proposers about the project, its’ specific design requirements, how you’ll judge the success of the project, how long should the project last, how you’ll decide who to choose, etc. Unless the project is small, you may wish to have a pre-proposal meeting to get all the potential respondents on the same page. You’ll also want to define the technical skills or expertise you require. If you let proposers know what you want, they will supplement the team to get you the services they may not have in house. You will get a better team to work with, and they will know what they are doing.
2. Ask for pertinent information about the firm
Whether it’s an RFQ or RFP, you’ll want to know something about the firms that respond. How long have they been in business, who are the owners, are they a standalone company or a subsidiary? What has been their experience with this type of project and what have they learned from other clients? Who will you deal with directly and what if there are problems with the contract? Will you have to go to a Corporate HQ in another state or country? How important are you and your project to this firm?
1. Allow your Key Staff Time to Review the RFP
Key staff who will eventually participate in the project should have input in the formulation of project objectives and consultant selection criteria. It is best if the client’s project management team is in place for the entire project, from initial goal-setting to consultant selection to design to construction and implementation. Also, be careful of inconsistencies in the RFP/Q. Make sure the due dates and times etc. are all consistent as these often get changed on the way out the door, causing confusion and many unneeded calls to field.