On February 1, NSPE President Tim Austin, P.E., F.NSPE, called on Michigan legislators to support Michigan House Bill 5238, the Local Government Professional Services Selection Act. If enacted, the legislation will set procedures for local governments to procure architectural, engineering, and land surveying services using a qualifications-based selection process. NSPE believes qualified professional engineers should be selected to perform all engineering services on the basis of design ability, experience, integrity, and other key professional factors—rather than price.
In a letter, Austin pointed out that NSPE has long supported the procurement of design professional services on the basis of qualifications and was instrumental in the enactment of the federal Brooks Architect-Engineer (A/E) Act (PL 92-582). The act requires federal agencies to use qualifications-based selection procedures when obtaining design professional services. The Society also strongly supports the adoption of “mini-Brooks” laws at the state and local level. Forty-seven states have implemented some form of QBS law, and numerous localities have also adopted laws modeled after the federal statute.
Read more about NSPE’s Professional Policy on the procurement of engineering services (qualifications-based selection).