November/December 2019
NSPE Today
Awards Recognize QBS Standouts

NSPE’s vision is “a world where the public can be confident that engineering decisions affecting their lives are made by qualified and ethically accountable professionals.” Part of developing that confidence is ensuring that engineering services are performed by professionals chosen for their qualifications—such as design ability, experience, and integrity—versus the lowest bid.
To recognize entities that make “exemplary use” of a qualifications-based selection process, NSPE and the American Council of Engineering Companies present annual QBS Awards. Nominations must originate from an NSPE state society, an ACEC member organization, a public or private entity, or an individual in the public or private sector.
The 2019 honors went to the following:
Federal Government Sector Winner
Western Federal Lands Highway Division of the Federal Highway Administration: The nomination stated, “Despite continual pressure to modify their procurement procedures, they have held fast to the rule that professional engineering consultants should be selected first, followed by a reasonable negotiation of their fees.”
State or Local Government Sector Winner
City of Portland, Maine: Nominated for the selection process for the Portland International Jetport. The submission noted that the process “delivers high quality and cost-effective services for Maine taxpayers, and a fair and transparent process for selection of A/E services based on qualifications only.”
Merit Award Winners
City of Austin, Texas: Nominated for its professionalism and consistency in using QBS for hiring of PEs, architects, and land surveyors. The nominator noted she had “found no other government agency that is as consistent, as fair, and as compliant with the QBS process as the City of Austin.”
New Jersey Department of Transportation: Nominated for its 25-year commitment to the QBS process, and for its partnership with the Federal Highway Administration.
Award winners were slated to receive a trophy and recognition October 15 in Chicago during ACEC’s fall conference.
Learn more about the QBS Award and see a list of past recipients at www.nspe.org/membership/about-nspe/awards.