§ 2-425. Public announcement and qualification procedures.

(a) Each agency shall publicly announce, in a uniform and consistent manner, a request for qualifications on each occasion when professional services are required in accordance with section 2-426

(b) A request for qualifications shall be issued which shall include:

(1) A detailed description of the services required.

(2) The date time and place for submittal of qualifications.

(3) All contractual terms and conditions applicable to the procurement of professional services.

(4) The criteria to be used in determining acceptability of the qualifications.

(c) The request for qualifications shall be advertised by the publication of a notice in the legal section of a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least once. A minimum of fifteen (15) days shall elapse between the date of publication of such notice and the date of receiving qualifications. In addition, a request for qualifications may be mailed to any firms which are known to be qualified to perform the services required.

(d) Each agency shall encourage firms engaged in the lawful practice of their professions that desire to provide professional services to the agency to annually submit statements of qualifications and performance data.

(e) Any firm or individual desiring to provide professional services to the agency must be certified by the agency as qualified pursuant to law. The agency shall make a finding that the firm or individual to be employed is fully qualified to render the required service. Among the factors to be considered in making this finding are the capabilities, adequacy of personnel, past record, experience, whether the firm is a certified minority business enterprise, and other such factors as may be determined by the agency to be applicable to its particular requirements.

(f) If two (2) equal responses to a request for qualifications are received and one response is from a certified minority business enterprise, the agency shall enter into a contract with the certified minority business enterprise.

(g) The public shall not be excluded from the proceedings under this section.

(Ord. No. 95-01, § 1, 2-21-95; Ord. No. 2011-32, § 1, 12-20-11; Ord. No. 2013-17, § 1, 11-5-13)