OAR 274-005-0040
Formal Process (Over $75,000)
(1)
Except as provided under subsection (3)(b) and section (4) of this rule or OAR 274-005-0045, the Director of Veterans’ Affairs (director) shall make a public announcement to obtain a list of contractors interested in providing professional services to the director. The director will request statements of qualifications or proposals, or both, for either single projects or groups of projects. The announcement will be made in trade periodicals or newspapers of general circulation, and electronically through the Department of Administrative Services on-line Vendor Information Program (VIP) and may include the following:(a)
Description of project type(s);(b)
Typical project(s) scope;(c)
Anticipated project start and completion dates;(d)
Any special requirements;(e)
Closing date by which statements of interest and qualifications must be received; and(f)
Evaluation criteria and selection procedure.(2)
Initial screening:(a)
The director shall establish an evaluation committee. The committee shall, for each proposed project, evaluate statements of qualifications and performance data. The committee shall evaluate each firm on areas including, but not limited to:(A)
Approach to the project;(B)
Capability;(C)
Credentials;(D)
Experience;(E)
Performance data (when applicable); and(F)
Proposed project cost.(b)
Based on the established evaluation criteria, the committee shall select, in order of preference, a list of at least three firms (short list) deemed to be most highly qualified to provide the required services;(c)
The evaluation committee will interview the short listed firms and make a recommendation to the director on which one should be hired. When a proposal is requested, the evaluation committee may elect to eliminate the interview step and recommend the most qualified firm to the director.(3)
Final Selection:(a)
The director or designee shall select the most qualified firm and negotiate a contract with that firm. In making the final selection, the director shall consider the estimated value of the services to be rendered, the project scope, and complexity:(A)
Should the director be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be the most qualified, negotiations with that firm will be formally terminated. The director will then undertake negotiations with the second most qualified firm. Failing accord with the second most qualified firm, the director will terminate negotiations. The director will then undertake negotiations with the third most qualified firm.(B)
Should the director be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with any of the selected firms, he shall select additional firms in order of their competence and qualifications and continue negotiations in accordance with this section until an agreement is reached or a decision not to contract for professional services is made.(b)
When the director determines that only one firm exists that is capable of performing the required services, within the required time frame, the director may negotiate a sole source contract with that firm. “Sole source” means a consultant providing professional or technical expertise of such a unique nature that the consultant is clearly and justifiably the only practicable source to provide the service. The justification shall be based on either the uniqueness of the service or sole availability at the location required. A sole source designation eliminates the necessity for a selection process.(4)
Special Services. In cases where the service needed is one performed only by a specialized group such as Certified Public Accountants and other similar specialties (and a list of qualified persons, companies, or firms interested in providing this service is maintained by a state or federal agency, a company specializing in maintaining such a list, or is available from another source) the director may obtain and use such a list in lieu of making a public announcement. The director may also include on any such list persons, companies, or firms known by the director to be interested or qualified to provide the needed services. The director will utilize the process set out in sections (2) and (3) of this rule to select the contractor.
Source:
Rule 274-005-0040 — Formal Process (Over $75,000), https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=274-005-0040.