III. The Mn/DOT s Office of Technical Support Services Section, working in conjunction with the Reform Committee, the Minnesota Consulting Engineers Council, the Department of Administration, and others throughout Mn/DOT, has developed a new model for consultant usage. The ultimate goal of this new consultant model is to streamline the process of contracting for highway related professional/technical services. This program requires consultants, both prime and subs, to be pre-qualified. The heart of the new consultant model is a program. Three high-level processes comprise Mn/DOT s Program as shown in Figure 1. The following paragraphs discuss each of these high level processes in turn. Documentation of each process including the Services Section procedure is available on the Services web site under Process Information. The is encouraged to review these procedures for details of the program. Figure 1 Mn/DOT Processes Select of (Under Development) SECTION III THE CONSULTANT PRE-QUALIFICATION PROGRAM PAGE 1 OF 5
A. The process for developing and maintaining a list of consultants to assist Mn/DOT is divided into two sub-processes as shown in Figure 2. Select of -A Maintain Ongoing Pre-Qual Solicitation -B Select for List Figure 2 Components 1. -A Maintain Ongoing Pre-Qualification Solicitation The objective of the first sub-process, -A, is to solicit and receive prequalification applications from consultants wanting to do business with Mn/DOT. Department personnel review and update the Pre-Qualification Solicitation announcement, review and update the Pre-Qualification and provide consultants with the Pre-Qualification when requested. The endpoint of this process (-A) occurs when the Pre-Qualification Administrator within Mn/DOT s Office of Technical Support Services Section receives submitted Pre-Qualification Applications. Detailed process documentation for -A is available on the Services web site under Process Information. Note that Work Type Definitions are governed by the -A procedure. SECTION III THE CONSULTANT PRE-QUALIFICATION PROGRAM PAGE 2 OF 5
2. -B Select for The objective of the second sub-process, -B, is to systematically evaluate the Pre-Qualification Applications received from consultants wanting to do business with Mn/DOT. A Work Type Selection Committee evaluates the evidence of technical qualification provided on a submitted Pre-Qualification Application and the Pre-Qualification Administrator evaluates the Application s compliance with Mn/DOT s Administrative Requirements. A must satisfy both administrative and technical qualification requirements to be pre-qualified. Detailed process documentation for -B is available on the Services web site under Process Information. Note that the -B procedure includes an explanation of the Pre-Qualification renewal process. Note also that appeals of pre-qualification decisions are governed by this procedure. B. Select for Project As shown in Figure 3, the process for selecting a for project work varies depending on the anticipated dollar size of the resulting contract. Each of the three different scenarios is described in turn. Select of -A < $100,000 -B $100,001 - $800,000 -C > $800,000 Figure 3 Components SECTION III THE CONSULTANT PRE-QUALIFICATION PROGRAM PAGE 3 OF 5
1. -A Select for Project <$100,000 For professional/technical service of 100,000 dollars or less, the Mn/DOT project manager will select a pre-qualified consultant based on information submitted by consultants for specific Work Type/Work Group categories. This process will be managed and maintained by Mn/DOT s Office of Technical Support Services Section, which will assure that the program choices are being made in accordance with Minnesota Statutes and Mn/DOT policies. Detailed process documentation for -A is available on the Services web site under Process Information. 2. -B Select for Project $100,001 - $800,000 For professional and technical services between 100,001 dollars and 800,000 dollars, Mn/DOT will first advertise a project for ten (10) business days on the Mn/DOT Services web site. If Federal Funds are being used, Mn/DOT will post the notice for a minimum of 30 calendar days as required by Federal law. This advertisement will ask pre-qualified consultants to reply with a five-page letter of interest and qualifications. When the advertisement period closes, Mn/DOT s Office of Technical Support Services Section will assemble pre-qualified information and a selection will be made based on the fivepage letter and the pre-qualified information. This process will be managed and maintained by Mn/DOT s Services Section, which will assure that the program choices are being made in accordance with Minnesota Statutes and Mn/DOT policies. Detailed process documentation for -B is available on the Services web site under Process Information. SECTION III THE CONSULTANT PRE-QUALIFICATION PROGRAM PAGE 4 OF 5
3. -C Select for Project >$800,000 For professional and technical services over 800,000 dollars, Mn/DOT will first advertise a project for ten (10) business days on the Mn/DOT Services web site. If Federal Funds are being used, Mn/DOT will post the notice for a minimum of 30 calendar days as required by Federal law. This advertisement will ask pre-qualified consultants to respond with a five-page letter of interest and qualifications. When the advertising period closes, Mn/DOT s Office of Technical Support Services Section will assemble all of the pre-qualified information. Mn/DOT will then form a technical review committee who will review the five-page letter of interest along with the pre-qualified information for the responding pre-qualified consultants and establish a short list of between three and five firms. A selection committee will then approve this short list and a technical RFP will be issued to the short list firms asking for a Best Value proposal. The short listed consultants will then submit their proposals and a selection will be made based on Mn/DOT s Best Value selection procedures and policies. This process will be managed and maintained by Mn/DOT s Services Section, which will assure that the program choices are being made in accordance with Minnesota Statutes and Mn/DOT policies. Detailed process documentation for -C is available on the Services web site under Process Information. SECTION III THE CONSULTANT PRE-QUALIFICATION PROGRAM PAGE 5 OF 5