Position Statement:
It is the position of NSPE that a Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) process be engaged for all engineering services procurement.  The use of QBS provides all professional services users with a selection process for engineering services based on qualifications, including technical competence and staff consistent with the requirements of the project.

Background
All engineering services should be performed by qualified engineers on the basis of design ability, experience, integrity, and judgment. Engineering is a learned profession, requiring of its members sound technical experience, personal ability, education, honesty, and integrity.

The professional services selection process should address specialized knowledge and skill, experience in the type of project involved, assignment of qualified personnel, ability of the engineers to perform on a timely basis, recognition of the project budgetary limitations, and such other areas of expertise as may be identified by the owner for prime consultant services, or the prime consultant for the subconsultant services.

The process for procurement of consultant and subconsultant engineering services must include a means whereby professionally qualified engineers or firms be ranked on the basis of ability to provide the service, followed by negotiations with the best qualified engineer or firm to determine a mutually satisfactory agreement for the scope of services agreed upon.