ACEC issues simplified guide for using Qualifications Based Selection when hiring engineering firms

Keith Sashaw

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of British Columbia (ACEC-BC) has issued a comprehensive guide on how to successfully implement qualifications based selection (QBS), the best practice for selecting and engaging design professionals.
“While the concept is quite simple, the fact is that using QBS is a different process than many procurement specialists are used to,” said Keith Sashaw, President of ACEC-BC.  “QBS has been used extensively in the United States and a few Canadian jurisdictions for over 40 years.  However for many public clients, QBS is a new process, and this guide has been developed to help walk them through the process in a straightforward manner.”
Qualification based selection has been recognized by the Canadian government, the National Research Council of Canada, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as the best practice for selecting a design professional.
The ACEC-BC guide has templates for implementing QBS, dealing with everything from project description, to how to prepare a request for qualification and evaluating them in order to select the best qualified consultant.
“The templates make the whole process simple, transparent and fair”, noted Sashaw.  “Often we hear concerns from procurement officials that they are not certain how to implement QBS.  This lays out the entire process and provides clarity to everyone involved.”
ACEC-BC based their guide and templates on work done previously by the Consulting Engineers of Alberta, and has spent over a year refining the document to make sure it meets the needs of B.C. municipalities and other clients.
To download the guide and templates and additional information, click here.
To view a one-minute explanatory video on QBS, click here

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