Section 18. Before issuing an RFQ pursuant to section 17, the awarding authority shall contract for the duration of the 2 phase selection process with a design professional to provide technical advice and professional expertise to the awarding authority; but, in retaining the services of a design professional the awarding authority may utilize the services of a design professional already in the employ of the awarding authority, or if the awarding authority does not already have in its employ the design professional, the awarding authority shall procure the services of a design professional pursuant to sections 38A.5 to 38O, inclusive, of chapter 7.
After the awarding authority has retained a design professional, the awarding authority shall develop with the assistance of the design professional a scope of work statement that defines the public works project and provides prospective design build entities with sufficient information regarding the awarding authority's objectives and requirements. The scope of work statement shall include criteria and preliminary design, general budget parameters, and general schedule requirements to enable prospective design build entities to submit proposals in response to the RFP issued pursuant to section 19.
Once the awarding authority has developed a scope of work statement that adequately defines the awarding authority's objectives and requirements for the public works project, the awarding authority may develop and issue a draft RFP at the same time and in the same manner as issuing an RFQ pursuant to section 17. Design build entities receiving a draft RFP may submit written comments on the draft RFP to the awarding authority at the same time as submitting a response to the RFQ issued pursuant to section 4. The awarding authority may, at its sole discretion, incorporate written comments received from design build entities within the final RFP and may provide to design build entities prequalified to submit a proposal the final RFP pursuant to section 6.
The design professional retained to provide technical assistance and consulting services to the awarding authority shall not be eligible to participate in any way as a member of the design build entities competing for the award of the design build contract.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part I - Administration of the Government
Title XXI - Labor and Industries
Chapter 149a - Public Construction Alternative Delivery Methods
Section 1 - Construction Management at Risk Delivery Method; Notice
Section 2 - Definitions Applicable to Secs. 1 to 9
Section 3 - Owner's Project Manager; Designer
Section 4 - Detailed Application; Notice to Proceed; Exempt Agencies
Section 7 - Cost-Plus Not to Exceed Guaranteed Maximum Price Form of Contract
Section 10 - Applicability of Other Laws
Section 11 - Definition of Terms From Other Laws
Section 12 - Regulations and Procedures
Section 14 - Design Build Contracts
Section 15 - Further Definitions
Section 16 - Detailed Application for Design Build Contract; Exempt Agencies
Section 17 - Design Build Contract Selection Process
Section 18 - Design Professional; Scope of Work Statement
Section 19 - Design Build Contracts; Request for Proposals; Bid Deposit
Section 20 - Best-Value or Low-Bid Basis for Evaluation and Selection
Section 21 - Regulations and Guidelines for Design Build Contracts