The right architect for the right job.

Here's how Poland, OH, School District selected an architect for its construction projects. The form it developed can help you with your qualifications-based selection process.

Selecting an architect for your school construction project isn't difficult. It just takes time and planning. The better job you do in the selection of an architect, the better you will like the results of your next construction project.

Examining Qualifications

Most states (more than

These laws recognize the critical role that selection of an architect plays in the construction process. While architectural design services represent only a fraction of the total cost of any construction project, the success of every project hinges on the quality of its design and plans. Not even the best contractor using the finest construction materials and equipment can overcome the failings of poor design.

A high-quality set of plans or designs can make the difference between a construction project that runs smoothly and efficiently, and one that is fraught with problems and cost overruns. This is why contractors who obtain work by competitive bidding support qualifications-based selection. School officials would do well to use such a selection process when evaluating a new architect for a new construction project.

Evaluating the qualifications of interested professional design firms is central. How are qualifications of architectural selection determined? Qualifications usually mean all of the following:

1. Competence of the professional design firm to perform the required professional design services as indicated by the technical training, education, and experience of the firm's personnel - especially those within the firm who would be assigned to perform the architectural services on the project.

2. Ability of the firm in terms of its workload and the availability of qualified personnel, equipment, and facilities to perform or render the required professional design services competently and expeditiously.

3. Past performance of the firm as reflected by the evaluations of previous clients regarding factors such as design, quality of work, meeting deadlines, cost control, and final outcome of the project as to customer satisfaction.

4. A combination of other factors.

An Evaluation Tool

How does this translate into a practical format usable by school officials in selecting an architect?

In selecting a firm for construction in the Poland, OH, School District, we developed a tool to evaluate architectural design service proposals. We included the statutory criteria required by the state. Then we used these criteria as minimums to determine the best or most qualified firm. We used the ratings checklist in Figure 1 (below):

Project.

Name of Design Firm Submitting Proposal

Criteria Rating

1. References

Quality of design Meeting deadlines/schedules Controlling costs/meeting budgets Communications/cooperation Quality of or past performance on similar projects

2. Firm's Qualifications

Experience on similar projects Firm's number of years in business Qualifications of firm and of individual architect doing the work Liability insurance (type and amount)

3. Capacity to Perform the Work

Number of local staff versus other staff Availability to meet schedules Proximity of assigned staff to construction site Active involvement of firm's assigned or principal architects throughout Facilities of firm (capacity to do work) Equipment of firm (capacity to do work) Personnel of firm (capacity to do work) Quality of work Design philosophy or approaches the firm may take

For ratings, we used a descriptive rating scale of superior (5), excellent (4), good (3), fair (2), or poor (1).

A weighted scale could also be used, since some of the criteria could be more important than others to different school officials. For example, design philosophy or approach could be given a rating of 5 with a weight-importance factor of 4. That would equal a weighted score of 20. Another criterion deemed much less important - the number of years in business, for example - could be given a rating of 5 for superior but a weight-importance factor of 2. That would mean that it was of lesser importance to the school authority for a weighted score of 10.

You and Your Architect

The next step after evaluating, ranking, and selecting a firm based on its qualifications is to agree on compensation that is fair and reasonable, taking into account the estimated value, scope, complexity, and nature of architectural services to be performed. If you can't come to an agreement with the firm that is your first choice, school officials in most states are permitted to go to the second-ranked firm to determine if a contract can be reached. This process is repeated until a contract is reached.

As any school official knows, planning is essential to ensure positive growth and direction. The search for multifaceted design and management firms committed to excellence can be made more simple by the qualifications-based selection process. Many firms will provide broad architectural and planning services, including research and program management, feasibility studies, land use analysis, facilities evaluation, master planning, space planning, graphic and interior design, cost estimating, value engineering, scheduling, competitive bidding and contract negotiations, coordination and observation of construction activities, and fiscal management of your school project. The key is to get the right architectural firm for your job.

Robert L. Zorn, Ph.D., is superintendent for the Poland (OH) School District.