Architect Selection Process

Architect Selection Process - General Notes on Interview Committee Procedures

  1. Selection for architects, engineers, landscape architects and planners is a two-step process.  The Request for Letters of Interest (RFQ) is the first step.  The initial screening is based on technical qualifications.  This is followed by a Request for Proposals and interview for the short-listed firms.  The Screening and Selection Committee normally includes the OAU planner, a representative from the Facilities Management leadership team, the Project Manager, and members of the user group.

  2. The Chair will start of each interview by introducing each of the committee members.  Each A/E team will be allotted the same amount of time, with sufficient time at the end for questions and discussion with the panel.  Time slots for each team are assigned on a random basis.

  3. The face-to-face interview offers and important opportunity to observe the team's ability to interact with each other and with the user group; to determine their understanding of scope, management, and schedule issues; and to make a judgment about the team's ability to meet the outlined criteria for the project.

  4. At the completion of all the interviews, each team will be discussed.  After the general discussion, committee members individually rank all of the candidates.  After the ballots have been collected and tallied, the committee may discuss the top two or three candidates (as appropriate) and vote again until one firm emerges as a consensus choice. Committee members are enjoined not to discuss any maters taken up during this process outside of the committee room.

  5. The Interview Committee's recommendation will be reviewed by the Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer, and will be come final upon the approval of the Vice President for Operations.  Following this, each of the A/E teams will be notified as to the outcome of the selection process, and offered the opportunity for a de-briefing with the Architect for the University.

For more information, please visit the Construction Administration page on the Facilities Management website.