The Bargain Heart Surgeon: Are You Getting the Best Value

From Your Professional Service Providers

How To: How to get more value from your design

professionals. How to get better value for the taxpayer’s

dollar. How to eliminate conflicts and depoliticize

the selection process. How to achieve the highest form of

competition.

How Did Your Last Project Go?

Did you get what you wanted? Did you get what you needed? Did you survive? Was your boss

pleased? Were the end users pleased?

Professionals

Attorney Accountant Doctor Financial planner Engineers Architects

What Criteria Would You Include In Your Request For Proposal (RFP)?

RFP Criteria

Experience Success rate Medical board complaints Number of surgeries of this type –

per day, per year, etc. Team qualifications References

Example – Heart Surgery Diagnosis is for double bypass During surgery doctor finds triple bypass is

needed Additional cost – but eliminates the second

(and costly) surgery Longer recovery time – but done only once

rather than twice Are you glad it was done then rather than

later?

Did You Get What You Want?

What was the reason you sought a design professional? Supplement your staff New expertise No time to implement with your own staff

Was The Result What You Needed?

Were there unexpected changes to the project?

Did it fulfill or exceed your expectations?

Were you satisfied with the final result?

Was the surgery successful?

Does the design fit your purpose?

What Could You Have Done Better?

Better identify the needs Select a firm/team with the best

experience doing this type of project Select the firm with the best approach

How To Get What You Need

Clearly articulate in your RFP what you are seeking Understand that you can’t identify all

variables Be flexible and rely on the design

professional for guidance Allow the design professional to be

innovative

Request for Qualifications

RFQ = Successful Project

Selecting the Consultant

Past experience Available staff & pertinent skills Project approach/innovation Specialized expertise Proximity to project

Promote the Project to Qualified Firms

ACEC/MN Referrals from other companies Referrals from other governmental

agencies

Short List

Choose 2-4 firms from RFQ responses Interview those firms Visit firms

Partnering Relies Upon:

Mutual respect Good communication High level of trust Mutually beneficial

relationship

Partnering With Your Heart Surgeon

Weigh pros and cons of procedure Define expectations and risks (scope) Agree on response to unknowns (e.g. bad

heart valve) Establish fee based on agreed upon scope

Do expectations match?

“If you want to select a project designer on the basis of least cost to design, I will give you a project which costs me the least to design. If you want to select a project designer on the basis of least life-cycle cost, I will use my brains and experience to give you a project which will cost you the least to design, build and maintain.”

Source - APWA Red Book, August 2006