Seeking an engineering firm?

Advantages of hiring an ACEC/CT Member Firm

As with any professional service, it is critical to the success of your project to have a highly qualified and experienced firm that upholds the values of its profession on your team. By contracting with an ACEC/CT Member Firm, you can be assured that you will benefit from working with professionals who are:

• Licensed Professional Engineers dedicated to protecting public safety, health and property, and who have sworn to practice engineering following the State of Connecticut’s Code of Conduct for Engineers and Land Surveyors.
• Committed to using fair business practices when working with their clients.
• Knowledgeable and experienced in providing engineering skills to your situation.
• Organized to provide a full array of Quality Control Services for your project.
• Interested in learning as a continuous process, as well as improving how the engineering profession serves the community. Individuals from ACEC/CT member firms attend various educational workshops throughout the year, develop educational programs for their peers, students and others, and contribute to the community through their volunteer efforts and monetary donations. In addition, ACEC/CT members stay apprised of economic and social trends as well as legislative and regulatory activity that relates to their profession and public health and safety.

ACEC/CT offers a variety of programs and services for those who contract with engineering firms to perform professional services, or for those who simply have a question about the different types of engineering services that are available today.

• Glossary of Types of Engineering Services
• Criteria Used to Select an Engineering Firm
• How an Engineering Firm Charges for Its Services
• Code of Ethics, expected of all Licensed Professional Engineers (P.E.) and Land Surveyors (L.S.) in Connecticut
• Connecticut Construction Manual: Guidelines for a Successful Building Projects

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Criteria for selecting an engineering firm

To help owners through the process of finding a qualified professional the Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) process was developed in the early 1970s for the federal government. The Connecticut QBS Council was established in 1992 and has, at no charge, assisted numerous building owners and managers through the proven QBS process.

A seasoned facilitator, experienced in the construction industry, works with public agencies and private industry by offering guidance, forms and advice to help them through the selection process.

The QBS process can be summarized in four steps:

• The owner announces that he or she needs professional design services for a particular project and invites interested firms to submit information about their qualifications, their experience and a brief description of the technical approach they would follow.
• The owner then reviews the qualifications and selects a “short list” of three to five firms.
• The owner interviews each firm to discuss its qualifications, experience, and approach to the project.
• The owner ranks the firms and invites the top firm to negotiate a formal agreement. The negotiations include discussions about the owner’s goals and concepts of the project, the firm’s approach to the project, alternatives to be considered, and the specific scope of work. After a detailed scope of services is agreed upon, the firm’s fee is negotiated. If an agreement cannot be reached, which is unusual, the owner negotiates with the next highest rated firm.

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