U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000


Skip to content U.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway AdministrationU.S. Department of Transportation/Federal Highway Administration

Construction

 
 

Questions For PR/PE Review Of (STATE)'s Consultant Agreement Processing/Fee Determination

District Office Review

Word Version (25 kb) | PDF Version (8 kb)

  1. Basic Understanding Of (STATE)'s Organizational Arrangement:
    1. District office organizational structure.
    2. Overview of district office's role in the process.
  2. Overview of consultant usage and major steps in the process:
    1. Types and $ of work done by consultant?
      • PS&E
      • Design
      • Construction engineering & inspection
    2. Who are the responsible persons (project or program managers) to administer consultant agreements.
    3. How advertised for prospective firms.
    4. Long list/ short list of firms and technical committee makeup
      • Min. Number of firms: long=10, short=3-6
      • Rating factors
      • Committee made up of who
    5. RFP's sent to short list firms:
      • Scope of services and manhour estimate prior to shortlisting?
      • Input shortlist data into professional services information system within 5 days of shortlist meeting?
      • Publish shortlist firms in "FAW"?
    6. Scope of services meeting for shortlisted firms.
    7. Oral technical proposals by short list firms.
    8. Rating/ ranking process by technical review committee.
    9. Firm selected using technical committees ratings.
      • Selection committee = district secretary, production, operations managers?
    10. Negotiation process with #1 ranked firm based on technical proposal and level of effort (labor type, wage rate, #hours).
      • (STATE) man-hour estimate prior to shortlist selection?
      • Same format for consultant and state?
      • Copy not provided to consultant?
      • Same information provided to all consultants?
        • Consultant's estimate
        • (STATE)'s estimate
        • Process to reach agreement
        • Documentation
          • Fee proposal?
          • Audit package?
          • Prewar audit on F.A. if $25,000?
          • Truth-in-negotiation certification if > $60,000?
          • Other factors affecting process
    11. Wage rate negotiation
      • Consultant's rate
      • Statewide or districtwide rate
      • What are rates based on
    12. Expense items
      • How are prices determined (negotiated) for equip., supplies, travel?
      • Documentation
    13. Fixed fee
      • Reasonable based on rise?
      • How to determine acceptable ranges?
    14. Valuation of consultant's work by who and how measured
  3. Follow Up From FHWA's 1991 Consultant Selection Process Review:
    1. Man hour estimate should not be provided to consultant firms.
    2. Consultant personnel are being allowed to-change from those initially proposed during selection process.
    3. Improve documentation throughout entire selection process.
    4. Written, not oral, technical proposals should he received in accordance with approved procedures.
    5. Changes in scope of services during selection process, based on available budget should not be allowed.
Updated: 06/27/2017
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000