This section sets out how consultant responses must be evaluated and selected, including committee review, a short list, final selection by the secretary or designee, and notice to responding firms.
§293. Competitive selection A.(1) Except for Louisiana Transportation Research Center projects, upon termination of the deadline for receipt of responses, the evaluation committee team shall confer and evaluate said responses. A point-based rating system based upon the evaluation criteria and weighting factors provided for in this Section shall be used by the team in its evaluation. Interviews may be used as necessary for evaluation. However, if interviews are a requirement, the advertisement shall so state. (2) The team shall then prepare and present to the secretary a short list of the three highest rated consultant firms provided there are at least three qualified firms. The secretary or authorized designee shall make the final evaluation and selection from the list. If the secretary or authorized designee selects other than the first ranked consultant firm from the short list, the secretary or authorized designee shall document his reasons for selection of other than the first ranked consultant firm on the short list. All responding firms will be notified of the selection. The team will not consider recommendations by others in their evaluation of the firm's qualifications. The team may be assisted by other department personnel. On those projects for which partial or full funding is supplied by others, the secretary or authorized designee may consider recommendations by the entity supplying the funds. This recommendation must be for a firm on the short list. The recommendation is not binding on the secretary or authorized designee. B.(1) The general criteria and weighting factors to be used by the evaluation team in evaluating responses to requests for consultant services are as follows: (a) Experience, both firm and individual, key staff personnel, as related to the project under consideration, weighting factors of three and four respectively. (b) Past performance on department projects, weighting factor of six. (c) Current work load, weighting factor of five. (d) Firm size as related to project magnitude, weighting factor of three. (e) Location where work will be performed, weighting factor of four except that a weighting factor of six is used for Urban System projects. (f) Any special evaluation criteria specified in the advertisement required to meet particular project needs. (2) These weighting factors are those usually used for preconstruction services selections. For other types of services or for special project requirements, the weighting factors may be varied based on the specific project requirements. Weighting factors to be used for each project will be stated in the project's advertisement. C.(1) The Louisiana Transportation Research Center shall utilize the selection criteria and weighting factors in its "Manual of Research Procedures" and any special evaluation criteria and weighting factors specified in the advertisement required to meet particular project needs to evaluate responses to requests for proposals for research consultants. (2) The director of the Louisiana Transportation Research Center shall recommend to the secretary or authorized designee the final selection of the consultant as determined by review procedures of the research project review committee and center director in accordance with its "Manual of Research Procedures". D. The written records produced during the evaluation and selection process are subject to the Public Records Act, R.S. 44:1 et seq. Acts 1991, No. 784, §1; Acts 1993, No. 375, §1; Acts 2003, No. 100, §1; Acts 2009, No. 255, §1, eff. July 1, 2009.