Engineering & Architectural Services (E&AS)

It's important to become familiar with how consultants are selected and the overall bidding and selection process.

Bidding is the formal and competitive procurement procedure through which offers for construction are requested, received, and evaluated. The bid period begins with the publishing of the advertisement for bids, and ends with the contractors Notice to Proceed.

Private sector architectural and engineering (A/E) services required on projects managed by E&AS must be publicly advertised. Advertisements may solicit for a general category of services or for a specific type of architectural or engineering service required for an individual project or a defined collective group of projects.

Abbreviated advertisements are normally made in the Daily Journal of Commerce, WEBS, and posted on our E&AS website at Currently Advertised Projects.

The Department of Enterprise Services adds a monetary disadvantage to all public works bids submitted by contractors from states with an in-state bidding preference. The disadvantage amount is equal to the advantage given by a state with the bidding preference. This in accordance to direction given from the 2011 State Legislature.

Instructions to Bidders For State Facility Construction (2012)

How Consultants are Selected

Consultant selection is based on anticipated project fees:

• $350,000 or below: Consultants are selected from firms in the A/E Reference File.
• Greater than $350,000: Projects are advertised as described above. Consultants who submit qualifications in response to the advertisement will be considered for selection.

Phase I: Panelists consider the consultant’s written submittals and brochures, previous experience on state projects, and any listed or unlisted references.

Phase II: Firms short-listed will be interviewed by the selection panel and scored against criteria developed specifically for the project.

Selection Processes

Consultants must have submitted their qualifications in response to a public advertisement by E&AS to be considered eligible for selection on an E&AS managed project. [See RCW 39.80.030].

Prospective architects or engineers are evaluated on the basis of qualifications and performance data established for a specific project.

Applicant’s qualifications and performance data are measured against the specific project selection criteria established for each project. Each panel member independently scores each firm. The highest scored firm is deemed the most highly qualified of those considered.

Becoming a Selection Panel Member

For projects with anticipated fees greater than $350,000, consultants are selected using a panel review process. Enterprise Services seeks volunteer panel members who are state of Washington licensed professionals and are able to complete the entire selection process.

The project selection process usually takes up to two days for: submittal review (completed individually and can be completed at any time before due date)

Interview (conducted approximately two weeks after submittal review)
The voluntary position provides exposure to decision makers for various state projects. It also offers an opportunity to see other firms’ statements of qualifications, how they represent themselves in the interview phase, and get a feel for what it is like on the 'other side of the table.'

To participate as a volunteer panel member for the selection process of a project, please complete the Private Sector Panelist Information form.

Bid Processes

For currently advertised projects, click the linked Project number to view project details. Project details, plans, and/or specifications will provide information on how to submit a bid package, including the bid proposal form. Each project may have unique specifications and instructions.

You must be a licensed contractor and be able to provide a bid bond (or other bid security for projects over $35,000), liability insurance and payment, and performance bond for a project.