Section 220-RICR-30-00-7.7 - ARCHITECTURAL, ENGINEERING AND CONSULTANT SERVICES SELECTION PROCESS FOR SERVICES EXCEEDING $20,000A. Solicitation 1. Public Announcement pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-60. The Chief Purchasing Officer shall give public notice of the need for professional architectural, engineering or consultant services.2. Such notice shall be published sufficiently in advance of the date when responses must be received in order that interested parties have an adequate opportunity to submit a statement of qualifications and performance data.3. The notice shall: (1) contain a brief statement of the services required,(2) describe the project,(3) specify how specific information on the project may be obtained and,(4) be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the state and in such other publications as in the judgment of the Committee shall be desirable.4. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-61, The solicitation shall describe the state's requirements and set forth evaluation criteria for the selection of the successful candidate and shall be distributed to interested persons.B. A bidder's conference shall be held at which the following shall be provided:(1) a description of the criteria to be used in evaluating a bidder's statement of qualification and performance data for the purpose of selecting a firm,(2) a discussion and further definition of the scope of work and(3) an on-site review, if appropriate.C. R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-63, requires that the Committee shall select no more than three (3) firms evaluated as being professionally and technically qualified.D. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-63,The firms selected, if still interested in providing the services, shall make a representative available to the Chief Purchasing Officer at such time and place as he shall determine, to provide such further information as he may require.E. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-62, The Chief Purchasing Officer, or his designee shall negotiate with the highest qualified firm for a contract for architectural[,] engineering, or consultant services for state departments and agencies at [a level of] compensation which he determines to be fair and reasonable. In making such determination, the Chief Purchasing Officer shall take into account the following: professional competence, technical merits, and price.F. Final Selection - In accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 37-2-63,the Chief Purchasing Officer shall be responsible for the final selection and shall so inform the user agency, the Division of Purchasing, and the Division of Budget.220 R.I. Code R. 220-RICR-30-00-7.7