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RULES OF THE ARCHITECTURAL EVALUATION BOARD

  1. The selection process seeks to recommend the most qualified architectural firms for County capital projects and shall be based on the following criteria:
    1. Design and planning ability.
    2. Staff capability.
    3. Technical capability.
    4. Performance.

  2. Evaluation of Criteria
    1. Design and planning ability shall be ascertained from the quality of exhibits submitted and evaluation of the firm's completed projects.
    2. Staff capability shall be ascertained from the number, expertise, and variety of personnel employed and the size of projects completed by the firm.
    3. Technical capability shall be ascertained on the special qualifications of the in-house staff and the consultants retained, as well as the complexity or special requirements of work completed.
    4. Past performance shall be determined by evaluation reports from the Director of Public Works prepared upon completion of County capital projects. Lacking such records, inquiry shall be made by staff on projects performed for other clients.

  3. Project Consideration
      The County shall familiarize the AEB with the type of projects under consideration and the associated problems or special demands including community, social, geographic factors, and project complexity.

  4. Procedure
    1. Questionnaires and Exhibits
      1. The Director of Public Works shall maintain an active up-to-date file on all architectural design firms interested in performing services for the County.
      2. Files shall contain completed questionnaires, photographic exhibits of projects, and evaluation reports on completed work.
      3. All parties submitting applications shall be responsible for updating questionnaires and exhibits. Architectural firms' questionnaires more than three years old may be removed from the approved list and such firms shall be notified in writing.
      4. The AEB Evaluation Board may classify architectural firms by the size of in-house staff, special capability, or special service offered.

    2. Recommendations for Designs Contracts
        Policy statement* - "The Architectural Evaluation Board and the Board of Supervisors will make a special effort to spread awards among qualified architectural firms. To accomplish this, architectural firms could be restricted to one project at a time, measured from the date of appointment to the award of the construction contract.

        A strict rotation system is not recommended since it could automatically disqualify the firm most qualified for a given project. The Architectural Evaluation Board should be free to recommend an exception to the policy if circumstances justify it. If an architectural firm has performed with distinction on a project, it is to the County's advantage to reward him with further assignments even though there may be some overlap in project assignments. The prevailing criterion should always be capability for designing a particular type of facility."

        * (Taken from the Los Angeles County Citizens and Efficiency Committee Report, March 1969, Page 26).

    3. Projects With An Estimated Construction Cost of $1 $2 Million or More
      1. Recommendations shall be made during regular or special meetings of the Committee. A majority of the members present must concur in any individual recommendation.
      2. The AEB Architectural Evaluation Board, when clearly advisable, may suggest the association of two firms and/or the retention of special consultants to provide a special or total capability which the project demands.
      3. The AEB Architectural Evaluation Board shall submit a recommended list of not less than three qualified architectural firms to the Director of Public Works.
      4. Director of Public Works shall review and rank the list provided by the AEB Architectural Evaluation Board. Firms found qualified shall be contacted by the Director to determine if they would be willing to perform the proposed work within schedule requirements and framework of the adopted County fee schedule, if appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Director shall request the AEB Architectural Evaluation Board to meet and furnish additional names of architectural firms if a representative selection is not available or the list is depleted.
      5. Director shall recommend a firm from the ranked list for approval of the Board of Supervisors.
      6. Selection of an architectural firm shall be subject to the approval of the entire Board of Supervisors.
    4. Projects with an Estimated Construction Cost from $1 Million up to $2 Million
        The County may, at its option, draw from a pool of A/E firms that have been prequalified and preselected by the AEB for the purpose of providing A/E services.
      1. Preselection of A/E Firms
        1. The AEB shall establish a pool of A/E firms that have been prequalified and preselected by the AEB for the purpose of providing A/E services.
        2. The AEB's existing selection process and evaluation criteria shall be used for the preselection of A/E firms by the AEB.
        3. The Director of Public Works shall maintain the list of AEB preselected A/E firms.
        4. The pool of preselected firms shall be renewed at least every two years.
        5. The Director of Public Works shall employ the criteria used by the AEB in the appointment of A/E firms from the pool.

      2. Contracting with Preselected A/E Firms
        1. The Director of Public Works shall select A/E firms from the pool of preselected A/E firms as required to meet project workload.
        2. Awards of contracts to preselected A/E firms will be implemented through existing contracting processes that require authority from the Board of Supervisors or via delegated authority, as appropriate.

      3. Reporting
        1. The Director of Public Works shall notify the AEB in writing of all selections made using preselected A/E firms.
        2. The Director of Public Works shall provide a written quarterly report to the AEB summarizing all such selections.

    5. Projects with an Estimated Construction Cost of Less Than $1 Million.
        The Director of Public Works shall prepare a list of recommended architectural firms from the AEB's approved list of architectural firms on file with the AEB. The Director shall recommend a firm from the ranked list for approval by the Board of Supervisors except where the A/E fees are $75,000 or less, in which case the Director will use his delegation of authority powers to approve the architectural firm selected. The Director may also elect to use the preselected list of firms chosen for projects between $1 million and $2 million.

  5. Evaluation
    1. The Director of Public Works shall evaluate architectural firms on each completed County project.
    2. Evaluation shall include the following points:
      1. Cooperation and interest of principals.
      2. Quality of administration.
      3. Quality of contract documents - architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and civil.
      4. Ability to meet time schedules.
      5. Ability to meet cost controls.
      6. Quality of construction supervision liaison, including interpretation of drawings, processing of shop drawings, and supplementary assistance.
      7. Overall quality of documents and service.
      8. Suitability of project for intended function.
      9. Extenuating or unusual circumstances on this project.
      10. Input of client.
      11. Input of CAO.
      12. Feedback from firm.
    3. Completed evaluation reports shall be maintained in a confidential file for the exclusive use of the AEB and Director of Public Works.
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