NYSQBS Home Page
Qualifications Based Selection
NYSQBS Council
14 N. Marvine Ave.
Auburn, NY 13021
Sponsors
ACECNY NYSCLA NYSAPLS NYSSPE APWA AWWA AIA
What is Qualifications Based Selection?

Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) is a process for the selection of design professionals. It is a negotiated procurement process for selection based on qualifications and competence in relation to the work to be performed.

Quality begins with qualifications-based selection. The New York State QBS Council can help you gain a better understanding of the process of selecting an engineer or architect. From the pre-proposal stage through proposals and interviews, we can help you streamline and improve each step. The end result, a project team that will deliver you the project you expect.

Selection Process
Step 1
Establish evaluation criteria and select the best qualified firm.
Establish Evaluation Criteria
Solicit Statements of Qualifications
Develop a Short List of Firms
Interview and Rank the Firms
Step 2
Jointly define scope and contract terms taking advantage of the experience of the selected firm.
Selected Firm Assists in Defining Scope of Work
Establish Contract Terms Work With the Next Firm on the Short List
Agreement
Yes               No
Step 3
Retain the firm on the basis of an acceptable proposal.
Ask for Fee Proposal
Agreement
Yes               No
Retain the Selected Firm
Just the Faqs
Q. Isn't there the risk of favoritism or impropriety with QBS?
A. Nationwide, there is no existing literature documenting cases of impropriety due to QBS. For many years in New York City, when the Department of Environmental Protection awarded all projects by QBS, there were no allegations or instances of impropriety in the selection process. In contrast, in the years when Maryland used a cost-based system similar to New York City's, scores of legal actions were brought against the state based on imprecise scope of work and bid rigging.
Real World
In July of 1981, two elevated walkways over the lobby of the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel collapsed during a party, killing 111 people and injuring 188 others. The engineering services on this structure had been awarded on the basis of low bid, and the design professional services were limited by contract …
Quotables
It is unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything becvause the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done.
John Ruskin (1819-1900)