Okaloosa County BOCC — May 4, 2013 — reading text

rests with the certifying officer; however, all statements will be reviewed by the Purchasing Department, and should there be any reasonable doubt that an emergency did exist; an opinion will be filed with the Internal Auditor. Revised – 11/09/98, 03/21/00, 09/18/01, 03/19/02, 09/07/04, 05/15/07, 09/04/07, 09/03/08, 09/12/2011 30 Packet Pg. 813  9.10.c.c PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NOTE: Professional services for construction work estimated to cost more than $1,000,000 and professional services for “studies” estimated to cost over $50,000 must be obtained through Request for Qualifications and cannot be tasked to consultant’s already under contract. PURPOSE To establish a standard procedure for the selection of firms providing professional services to the Attachment: Compare version 5 with original.pdf (1553 : Revisions to the Purchasing Manual) County. The persons empowered to make the selection must be kept free of pressures, both internal and external. DEFINITION The term Professional Service is defined as assistance obtained in support of County operations from an independent contractor in one or more of the following professional fields: 1. Appraisal Services - Real and Personal Property Appraisers. 2. Professional Architecture, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, or Registered Surveying and Mapping Services (as per 287.055 F.S.). NOTE: For the Okaloosa County Airports, requirements of 49 CRF Part 18.36 of the Federal Aviation Administration's Rules and Regulations must be met. 3. Audit and Accounting Services - Auditors and Accountants. 4. Consultants - Planning, Management, or Scientific Advisors. 5. Financial Services - Bond Counsel, Rating and Underwriting, Financial Advisor, and Investment Services. 6. Legal Services - Attorneys and Legal Professionals. 7. Construction Managers. Professional Services obtained by or paid for by the County for the benefit of indigent clients shall be considered grants and not professional services. Procurement of professional services will require approval at levels consistent with previous pages (11 and 12). The Purchasing Director may approve up to $25,000.00 and the County Administrator up to $50,000.00. Any services exceeding $50,000.00 shall require Board approval. Grant requirements (if any) must be reviewed and will override purchasing policy if required. BOARD AUTHORIZATION PROCEDURE STEP 1: Preparation of an initial Executive Summary by the requesting department or agency that: A. Explains the requested service, the scope of work and the anticipated length of the contract. B. Justifies the need for the requested service. C. Seeks Board approval to distribute "Requests for Proposals" and to establish a selection committee to review the proposals, prioritize the contending firms and negotiate an agreement with the selected firm. At Revised – 11/09/98, 03/21/00, 09/18/01, 03/19/02, 09/07/04, 05/15/07, 09/04/07, 09/03/08, 09/12/2011 30 Packet Pg. 814  9.10.c.c the discretion of the Board, the Board may appoint themselves as the selection committee to review the proposals and prioritize the contending firms. Attachment: Compare version 5 with original.pdf (1553 : Revisions to the Purchasing Manual) Revised – 11/09/98, 03/21/00, 09/18/01, 03/19/02, 09/07/04, 05/15/07, 09/04/07, 09/03/08, 09/12/2011 30 Packet Pg. 815  9.10.c.c STEP 2: Development and distribution of the "Request for Proposal" (RFP) document shall be coordinated between the requesting agencies and the Purchasing Department. The RFP shall include: A. A proposed scope of services sufficiently specified so as to assure that all firms have the same understanding of the request. In the event that the scope of services cannot be sufficiently specified, then the RFP shall include, at the very least, a description of the problem or issue to be addressed and the desired solution. Attachment: Compare version 5 with original.pdf (1553 : Revisions to the Purchasing Manual) B. A request for all firms to submit documentation of respective qualifications and expertise as related to the services referenced in the proposal. C. Specific instructions on how, when and where the proposals shall be submitted. The submittal date will be at least 21 days after the notice of request has been published. D. A requirement that the proposal be submitted as a sealed package. STEP 3: Review of all proposals received which will proceed as follows: A. The selection committee (established in Step 1C) will review all written documents submitted. B. The committee's ranking of prospective firms shall be based on the firm's capabilities, ability, adequacy of personnel, past record, recent experience, current workload and location of the firm or individual. (See attached Instruction Sheet). C. The committee may request oral presentations from the vendors when establishing the recommended priority or short list. D. The committee shall prepare its recommended priority list and notify all prospective firms of its recommendation by U.S. Mail. E. Unless a formal protest is filed, the recommended priority list established by the committee shall be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for approval prior to the commencement of negotiations. STEP 4: A. Any prospective firm who desires to formally protest the recommended rankings of the selection committee shall submit a notice of intent to protest in writing to the County Administrator within ten (10) calendar days from the mailing of the committee recommendations. B. All formal protests of the committee's recommended rankings shall be submitted to the County Administrator, in writing, with a copy to the County Attorney, within five (5) calendar days from the date that the notice of intent to protest is received by the County Administrator. C. The formal protest shall contain, but not be limited to, the following information: 1. Name and address of the protesting party. 2. Request for Proposals being protested. 3. Statement of disputed issues of material fact. If there are no disputed material facts, the formal protest must so indicate. Revised – 11/09/98, 03/21/00, 09/18/01, 03/19/02, 09/07/04, 05/15/07, 09/04/07, 09/03/08, 09/12/2011 30 Packet Pg. 816  9.10.c.c 4 nd of any relevant rules, regulations, statutes and constitutional . provisions entitling the protesting party to relief. A c o n c Attachment: Compare version 5 with original.pdf (1553 : Revisions to the Purchasing Manual) i s e s t a t e m e n t o f t h e u l t i m a t e f a c t s a l l e g e d a Revised – 11/09/98, 03/21/00, 09/18/01, 03/19/02, 09/07/04, 05/15/07, 09/04/07, 09/03/08, 09/12/2011 30 Packet Pg. 817  9.10.c.c 5. A demand for the relief the protesting party deems itself entitled. 6. Such other information as the protesting party deems to be material to the issue. D. The County Administrator and the County Attorney shall review the merits of each timely protest and issue their recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners along with the recommendation of the selection committee. STEP 5: The Board of County Commissioners shall consider the recommendation of the selection committee and, if appropriate, the recommendation of the County Administrator and County Attorney Attachment: Compare version 5 with original.pdf (1553 : Revisions to the Purchasing Manual) resulting from the exercise of the protest procedure. The