Commissioners direct staff to advertise for architectural on‑call services and consider extending current contract

County staff told the Board of Commissioners that the two‑year contract for on‑call architectural services with M.J. Neal (also referenced as Andrea Neal in staff discussion) is nearing expiration and that several county projects remain in progress.

Commissioners discussed whether to extend the existing contract long enough to finish active projects and directed staff to advertise a request for qualifications (RFQ) or requests for qualifications (RFQ/RFP) for future services. One commissioner said the vendor’s past performance has been satisfactory but recommended opening the process to competitive submissions.

Staff reported the current contract was signed in late June of the previous two‑year term, meaning the end of the month marks the contract’s expiration window. Commissioners asked staff to proceed with advertising in the places the county typically uses — the county website and required public notice outlets — and to prepare a short contract extension so ongoing projects can continue uninterrupted if needed.

County staff said they would prepare a list of outstanding projects that would either continue under an extension or be included in any new vendor scope. No formal contract amendment or award was approved at the meeting; commissioners approved advertising for qualifications and asked staff to present recommended next steps.