Saddleback Valley Unified School DistrictAR 7210
Saddleback Valley Unified School DistrictAR 7240
CONSTRUCTION
SELECTION OF ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS
The selection of an architect or engineer is a difficult process. There are a number of firms who are not only interested, but who are also capable of providing competent professional services. Before selection can be made, criteria for selection of an architect/engineer must be established. These criteria spell out in detail the expectations of the District regarding the quality and quantity of service expected from an architect/engineer. From this the architect/engineer will also be able to evaluate the District’s interest.
Criteria
1.Registration and Professional Reputation: The architect/engineer must be licensed under the laws of the State of California. The standing of the architect/engineer within his own profession can be a most important basis of evaluation, as with any other professional. The judgment of our peers may be the most severe and revealing. It is possible to obtain such information through discussions with other architects/engineers he/she knows personally, from articles published in professional journals, from activity in, and honors accorded by professional societies, from participation in community affairs and other similar professional endeavors.
2.Experience: Experience and background of the architect/engineer will be considered in detail. In school projects (especially State-Aid projects) extensive experience is relatively simple to determine and evaluate, and there are usually several firms with such qualifications. The younger architect/engineer however should not be eliminated from consideration merely for the lack of such experience. He/she may be well-qualified, and should be given the opportunity to show the degree of competence achieved in the work he/she has done even though limited in scope.
3.Staff and Facilities: The quality and experience of each architect’s/engineer’s staff should be of major concern. The size of the firm’s office may be a factor in some instances, although the efficiency of its operation is usually of greater importance. The size and complexity of projects successfully handled in the past can be a helpful guide, together with an analysis of the organizational ability of the firm to expand to handle larger projects. Some consideration should be given to engineering services, whether they are performed in the architect’s office or a consultant is used. Either approach may be satisfactory depending on the personnel involved and the adequacy of coordination by the architect. It might be noted that the effective size of the consulting firm might be twice the size of the employing architect. The location of the architect’s office will be considered.
4.Quality of Work: Firm standards of quality of work will be expected from the architect/engineer. In practice, completed projects of the client stand as mute evidence of the quality expected. The District will expect that, with its cooperation, the architect design a building that meets the requirements of the program, is aesthetically pleasing and is a satisfying environment for its occupants. The use of low maintenance materials and a project constructed to meet a low budget are desirable objectives. However, a competent, creative architect will accomplish not only these things but will provide a better than minimum environment for learning and living.
5.References: Determine how successfully the architect/engineer has performed for other clients, the quality of his/her service, and any strengths and weaknesses. A reasonable number of the architect’s/engineer’s’s former clients will be asked for their recommendations. Contractors who have worked with the architect/engineer will be asked for their recommendations.
To summarize, the purpose of setting forth criteria is to establish an orderly basis on which architects/engineers may be compared and evaluated. Criteria provides a basis on which to review his/her standing in the profession and community, creative ability, technical and business competence, integrity and judgment and ability to work and cooperate with all the individuals involved in the project.
Procedure
1.Methods: The selection of architectural/engineering firms to provide professional services for the District shall be based upon an evaluation of the firms that have expressed an interest in performing such services. All interested firms shall submit a proposal when a “Request for Qualifications” is sent out.
2.Initial Screening: The staff shall initially evaluate the qualifications of prospective firms based upon the information submitted, a preliminary reference check and from knowledge of the architect’s/engineer’s work.
3.Preliminary Interviews: The top rated firms from the initial screening will be requested to arrange a preliminary interview, preferably in their offices where the scope of their practice can be reviewed in detail. Visitations to other client’s school projects of each firm may be made and a detailed reference check completed. A composite re-evaluation of all firms interviewed shall be made to again rate the firms.
4.The Superintendent will recommend to the Governing Board a limited list of architectural firms for future assignments on the basis of the criteria listed above. The Governing Board shall have the responsibility of making the final selection of District architects and individual project assignments.
Adopted: 03/76
(Previously AR 7210)
Readopted: 09/04
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