Certain types of services, such as personal services contracts, which are highly specialized, are exempt from the competitive sealed process, since there are many other factors which must be considered in making a choice of vendors such as experience, availability, staffing levels, licensing, and insurance. These are set out below.
A. Acquisition of architectural and engineering services. The employment of an architect on projects less than $250,000 or engineering, landscape architect, assayer, geologist or land surveyor for projects less than $500,000 may be selected by direct selection, or a Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) system. For projects exceeding $250,000 for architects, or engineering, landscape architects, assayers, geologists, and land surveyors projects exceeding $500,000 the QBS process must be used. These processes and definitions are discussed in Subarticle IV, § 3-5-97.
B. Acquisition of legal services.
1. $1,000.01 qualified vendor. For the cost of goods and/or services over $1,000 for any legal services the vendor must be "qualified" to provide those legal services through accreditations, certifications, or defined by state statute.
. 2. Approval required. All elected officials, volunteers, and employees must have approval from the City Manager, City Attorney's Office and the City Council in order to obtain legal services outside the City Attorney's Office, even if the services are on a pro-bono basis. The City Magistrate, City Attorney, and City Prosecuting Attorney may, in accordance with the city purchasing policy, acquire legal services in the discharge of their regular duties as required by statute. All legal services required by the City Magistrate, City Attorney, and City Prosecutor outside the regular course of business require approval of the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Council.
C. Acquisition of other professional services.
$1,000.01 to $3,000.00 | 3 verbal proposals |
3,000.01 to $30,000.00 | 3 written proposals |
Above $30,000.00 | Formal RFP process |
D. Acquisition of construction contracts. Construction contracts will be awarded through a solicitation of bids in accordance with A.R.S. Title 34.
(Res. 2008-011, passed 2-19-2008)