SSB 6235 Expands Qualifications Based Selection

Substitute SB 6235, as it passed out of the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee, is now online at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6235&year=2007. The bill has been sent to the Rules Committee.

The version that was approved adds the following three disciplines to the list in RCW 39.80 that may only be selected based on qualifications (not including price): project management, construction supervision, and construction management. Deleted from the earlier version of the bill that was considered by the committee are environmental services, technical testing, and inspection.

My understanding is that the bill is being pushed by the engineering industry group (ACEC - American Council of Engineering Companies).

As I've written previously, this bill is not in the public's best interest in that it would put public agencies at a disadvantage in having to negotiate prices for additional types of consultant work (in addition to what RCW 39.80 already requires for architectural, engineering, landscape architectural, and land surveying).

There has been a request for the Capital Projects Advisory Review Board (CPARB) to consider, and hopefully take a position opposed to the bill, at their meeting next Thursday.