After an extended presentation and nearly an hour of public comment and council discussion, the DeSoto City Council approved a staff‑recommended shortlist of prequalified professional services firms for engineering, architecture, land surveying and related categories for a six‑month period while staff works to refine outreach and MWBE participation practices.

Director of Development Services Ahmed Alkasy reviewed an RFQ process that opened in March and produced 58 submittals across multiple service categories. Alkasy described a committee review that scored and ranked the most qualified firms, explained that the shortlist would ordinarily remain valid across a multi‑year window, and said staff recommended council approval so departments could quickly initiate professional agreements necessary to advance pending capital work.

Multiple residents and business owners urged the council to ensure small and minority‑owned firms had access to the work and to require more proactive outreach to locally based and MWBE firms. Public commenters and several council members criticized relying on a long list without stronger assurances of minority participation and asked for published scoring/rubrics, committee membership disclosure and greater outreach to local firms; residents said they had not seen RFQ notices posted to minority business networks. Council members asked staff what outreach had occurred and whether shorter durations would be viable.

Following comments, council members debated the list duration. Staff said re‑advertising an RFQ for each project causes delays of several months that risk increased construction costs and missed grant deadlines. Several council members signaled concerns about a multi‑year (five‑year) term; after motions and discussion council approved the staff list for a six‑month period and instructed staff to return with revised procedures and additional outreach to underutilized businesses. Council also requested that staff provide clearer documentation of committee scoring and the sources of funds for projects tied to the shortlist. The approved short‑term authorization enabled staff to proceed with agreements necessary to meet near‑term grant deadlines.