As a Home Rule unit, the Village is not required to adhere to the requirements of the Illinois Local Government Professional Services Selection Act (50 ILCS 510) when hiring an architect, engineer, or land surveyor. Nevertheless, the Village generally will apply the standards of that Act, except that the Village always will consider cost as a selection factor, unless otherwise required by law, and the Village may choose not to use a formal selection process for architectural, engineering, or land surveying services less than $25,000. When the Village does solicit such services, then the Village must solicit proposals and adhere to the following requirements:
A. Public notice of the request for proposals/qualifications shall be given within a reasonable time, not less than ten calendar business days prior to the date set forth therein for the opening of the proposals. The Procurement Officer shall designate a means of distribution of information to interested parties using methods that are reasonably available. Such advertisement shall be posted on the Village's website, transmitted or communicated (electronically or otherwise) to appropriate trade organizations and bid management service providers or transmitted electronically to those known to the Procurement Officer as potential proposers, or published in a local paper of general circulation. The notice shall state the place, date, and time proposals are due.
B. Selection procedure. The Village then must evaluate the firms submitting letters of interest, taking into account qualifications, ability of professional personnel, past record and experience, performance data on file, willingness to meet time and budget requirements, location, workload of the firm, and such other factors as the Village may determine in writing are applicable. The Village may conduct discussions with and require presentations by firms deemed to be the most qualified regarding their qualifications, approach to the project and ability to furnish the required services.
C. Selection. On the basis of evaluations, discussions and presentations, the Village shall select no fewer than three firms which it determines to be the most qualified to provide services for the project and rank them in order of qualifications to provide services regarding the specific project. The Village shall then contact the firm ranked most preferred and attempt to negotiate a contract at a fair and reasonable compensation, taking into account the estimated value, scope, complexity, and professional nature of the services to be rendered. If fewer than three firms submit letters of interest and the Village determines that one or both of those firms are so qualified, the Village may proceed to negotiate a contract.
D. Contract negotiation.
(1) The Village shall prepare a written description of the scope of the proposed services to be used as a basis for negotiations and shall negotiate a contract with the highest qualified firm at compensation the Village determines in writing to be fair and reasonable. In making this decision, the Village shall take into account the estimated value, scope, complexity, and professional nature of the services to be rendered.
(2) If the Village is unable to negotiate a contract with the preferred firm, negotiations with that firm shall be terminated. The Village shall then begin negotiations with the firm that is next preferred. If the Village is unable to negotiate a contract with that firm, negotiations with that firm shall be terminated. The Village shall then begin negotiations with the firm that is next preferred.
(3) If the Village is unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with any of the selected firms, it shall reevaluate the architectural, engineering, or land surveying services requested, including the estimated value, scope, and complexity and fee requirements. The Village shall then compile a second list of not less than three qualified firms and proceed in accordance with these procedures.
E. Federally funded projects. As part of the process for consultant selection for federally funded projects, the Village will follow all applicable federal requirements.
(Ord. 5499, 3-21-20; Amd. Ord. 5505, 5-4-20)