CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
Process Information
CS02-C
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
I. Introduction
Process Description
In the Pre-Qualification Program, Mn/DOT identifies Consultants qualified to
complete specific kinds of work prior to the actual need for their services. This
program will require consultants, both prime and subs, to be pre-qualified.
Once pre-qualified, Consultants are selected for project work depending on the
specific needs of individual projects. The process for selecting a pre-qualified
Consultant for project work (CS02) varies depending on the anticipated dollar size
of the resulting contract. The objective of the process documented in this procedure
(CS02-C) is to select a pre-qualified Consultant to perform work on an Mn/DOT
project when the anticipated contract value is greater than $800,000.
Contacts
Mn/DOT Consultant Services contacts:
Brad Hamilton (651) 297-1172, brad.hamilton@dot.state.mn.us
Dawn Thompson (651) 296-3157, dawn.thomposon@dot.state.mn.us
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Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Process Information
II. Policy & Procedure
A. Task 1—Document the Project Requirements
1.
The Office/District will document the Project requirements as follows:
a)
The Project Manager will draft an initial Scope of Services that clearly states the
services required by the Project and the work to be performed by the
Consultant.
(1)
The initial Scope of Services will include a list and description of
anticipated tasks and expected deliverables.
(2)
The initial Scope of Services will include a time schedule and may include
a cost estimate.
(3)
The final Scope of Services will be the basis of negotiation between
Mn/DOT and the selected Consultant on the work to be performed and
will be incorporated into the resulting Consultant Agreement.
b)
The Office/District Contract Administrator, assisted by Consultant Services,
will match the initial Scope of Services with one or more Pre-Qualified
Consultant Work Type Definitions. The available Work Type Definitions and
corresponding Statements of Technical Qualifications are found on the
Mn/DOT Consultant Services web site at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult.,
under the Consultant Services Pre-Qualification Program section.
c)
The Office/District Contract Administrator will prepare an announcement of
the Consultant opportunity for the Consultant Services web site. The
announcement will:
(1)
Specify the required Work Types
(2)
Briefly describe the project Scope of Services.
(3)
Outline the criteria that will be used to select a Consultant and the weight
that is assigned to each factor.
(4)
Solicit a Letter of Interest from pre-qualified Consultants.
A template for the Pre-qualification Announcement is provided on the Mn/DOT
Consultant services web sit at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under the
Consultant Services Documents section.
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CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
Process Information
c)
The Office/District Contract Administrator with the assistance from the Project
Manager will draft a Technical Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Project.
(1)
The Technical RFP will request a Technical Proposal.
(2)
The Technical RFP will provide detailed technical specifications and
requirements beyond what is included in the Scope of Services. The
Technical RFP should encourage short-list Consultants to distinguish
themselves by proposing unique technical solutions to the Project’s
requirements.
(3)
The Technical RFP will specify the deadline for submitting a Technical
Proposal.
(4)
The Technical RFP will outline the criteria that will be used to select a
Consultant for the Project and the weight that is assigned to each factor.
(5)
The Technical RFP will request a Cost proposal for the project.
A template for the Pre-qualification RFP is provided on the Mn/DOT
Consultant services web sit at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under the
Consultant Services Document section.
d) The Office/District Contract Administrator will prepare the Department of
Administration (Admin) Certification for the Pre-Qualified Consultant
procurement. A template for the Admin Certification form is provided on the
Mn/DOT Consultant Services web site at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under
the Consultant Services Documents section.
2.
3.
The Office/District Contract Administrator will forward the following items
to Consultant Services:
a)
A copy of the Scope of Services
b)
A copy of the web site announcement
c)
A copy of the Technical proposal
c)
The original Admin Certification Form (with Office/District signatures)
d)
Contract Process Start Form (CPS)
e)
Encumbrance Worksheet
Upon receipt, Consultant Services will process the Project Manager’s request
as follows:
a)
Consultant Services will update the Consultant Agreements Reporting and
Tracking (CART) system.
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Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Process Information
b)
4.
B.
Consultant Services will forward the Project’s Admin Certification Form to the
Mn/DOT Office of Contract Management for consideration.
Upon receipt, Mn/DOT’s Office of Contract Management will process the
Project’s request as follows:
a)
The Office of Contract Management will review and approve or reject the
Project’s Admin Certification form.
b)
The Office of Contract Management will return the Project’s Admin
Certification Form to Consultant Services.
Task 2—Gather Consultant Information
1.
2.
Upon receipt of the approved Admin Certification Form from the Office of
Contract Management, Consultant Services will:
a)
Post the Pre-qualification announcement on the Mn/DOT Consultant Services
web site. The web site announcement will appear continuously throughout the
Letter of Interest period.
b)
Post the “Official Pre-Qualified Consultant List” of Consultants who are
eligible to submit the letter of interest for this project.
c)
Return the approved original Admin Certification Form to the Office/District
Contract Administrator.
d)
Retain a copy of the approved Admin Certification Form for Consultant
Services’ files.
Consultants who are pre-qualified for the Work Type(s) required by the
Project will prepare up to a five-page Letter of Interest. The Letter of Interest
will:
a)
Affirm the Consultant’s interest in performing the Scope of Services described.
b)
Affirm the Consultant’s pre-qualified status for the Work Types required.
c)
Affirm the Consultant’s availability to provide the services sought within the
Project’s schedule.
d)
Specify the key personnel the Consultant will assign to the Project.
e)
Provide any other information, above and beyond the information already
provided in the Pre-Qualification Application, which may assist Mn/DOT in
making its determination.
The exact format is outlined on the Pre-qualification Announcement template provided
on the Mn/DOT Consultant Services web site at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under
the Consultant Services Documents section.
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CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
Process Information
3.
4.
5.
The District/Office Contract Administrator will accept Letters of Interest
from pre-qualified Consultants.
a)
The Letter of Interest period will begin the day the web site announcement is
published.
b)
The Letter of Interest period will end on the day and at the time specified in the
web site announcement but no earlier than ten (10) business days after it
begins.
At the close of the Letter of Interest period, the District/Office Contract
Administrator will:
a)
Compile the list of the Consultants submitting Letters of Interest.
b)
Review the list to verify Consultants eligibility for work type requested.
c)
Forward the list of responding Consultants to Consultant Services.
Upon receipt of the list of Consultants, Consultant Services will:
a)
Update CART to document the Consultants who responded to the solicitation.
b)
Upon request, provide to the Office/District Contract Administrator
information about each pre-qualified Consultant which may include but is not
limited to:
(1)
The Consultant’s performance on current and previous Mn/DOT
contracts
(2)
The Consultant’s volume of prior project work with Mn/DOT and the
Consultant’s current backlog of Mn/DOT project work
C. Task 3—Select the Consultant
1.
The Office/District Contract Administrator with the assistance from the
Project Manager will recruit, organize and obtain approval for a Technical
Selection Committee.
A template letter for obtaining this approval is provided on the Mn/DOT
Consultant Services web site at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under the
Consultant Services Documents section. The selection process is consistent
with the process currently in place which includes providing and obtaining
Conflict of Interest forms and having one member of the Technical Selection
Committee on the “Managers Plan”.
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Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Process Information
2.
The Technical Selection Committee will create a short-list of Consultants from
the pre-qualified Consultants submitting a Letter of Interest.
a)
The Technical Selection Committee will evaluate each pre-qualified Consultant
that submitted a Letter of Interest.
b)
Consultants will be evaluated according to the Project’s pre-determined
“short-listed” selection criteria.
c)
The Selection Committee will create a short list (three to five) of Consultants
that will be sent the Technical Request for Proposals (RFP).
d)
The work-papers documenting the short-list selection process will be included
in the Office/District Contract Administrator’s project file.
3.
The Office/District Contract Administrator will forward a copy of the
project’s Technical RFP to the short-list Consultants.
4.
The Office/District Contract Administrator will accept Technical Proposals
from short-list Consultants throughout the proposal period specified in the
RFP. At the close of the proposal period, the Office/District Contract
Administrator will:
a)
Compile a list of the Consultants submitting Technical Proposals.
b)
Forward the list of responding Consultants to Consultant Services.
5.
Upon receipt of the list of interested Consultants, Consultant Services will
update CART to document the Consultants who submitted a Technical
Proposal.
6.
The Technical Selection Committee will select a Consultant to perform the
project’s Scope of Services from the short-listed Consultants submitting a
Technical Proposal. The Best Value Selection Method will be used for the
final portion of the selection process.
a)
The Technical Selection Committee will evaluate the Technical Proposals from
each short-listed Consultant.
b)
Consultants will be evaluated according to the Project’s pre-determined
Consultant selection criteria listed in the Technical RFP; cost will be a factor in
the selection process.
c)
Once the Technical Selection Committee selects a consultant the Project
Manager, with the assistance, if needed, from the District/Office Contract
Administrator will negotiate a final scope and budget with the selected
Consultant.
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Mn/DOT Consultant
Pre-Qualification Processes
CS02-C Rev 2 (1/5/04)
Select Pre-Qualified Consultant for Project
>$800K
Process Information
d)
The work-papers documenting the selection process will be included in the
Office/District Contract Administrator’s project file.
e)
The Office/District Contract Administrator will notify in writing the selection
decision and forward selection documents, including conflict of interest form,
rating sheets and comments etc., to Consultant Services.
The State is not obligated to award a contract or complete the project. The
State reserves the right to cancel the Consultant solicitation if it is considered
to be in its best interest.
7.
The Office/District Contract Administrator will obtain concurrence from the
Director – Engineering Services Division of the selection decision. A template
letter for obtaining this approval is provided on the Mn/DOT Consultant
Services web site at www.dot.state.mn.us/consult., under the Consultant
Services Document section.
8.
Upon receipt of concurrence with the selection decision, the Office/District
Contract Administrator will write and execute the Consultant Agreement
with the Consultant.
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