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Lake Havasu council declines to require outside members on RFQ selection committees after heated debate
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Summary
Following testimony from councilmembers, contractors and staff, Lake Havasu City voted 4–3 not to impose a formal requirement that outside contractors, architects or engineers sit on selection committees. Council directed staff to include evaluation summaries in packets and to seek outside expertise when appropriate.
A long, at times contentious council discussion on April 14 addressed whether the city should require at least one outside contractor, architect or engineer to serve on selection committees for requests for qualifications (RFQs). The item followed concerns raised in prior procurement processes about transparency and vendor access.
City staff and the city attorney explained state law (ARS §34‑6‑603) permits selection committees to include outside consultants and generally allows the city to use outside expertise. Staff proposed two transparency measures: (1) include a summary of selection‑committee evaluation scores in the council agenda packet when a contract is presented, and (2) enable executive session for legal advice on procurement questions.
Councilmember Nancy Campbell argued for formalizing an outside‑member requirement to provide an independent technical perspective and to guard against perceived favoritism. "I've seen it happen," Campbell said, describing past situations where local firms felt disadvantaged.
Other councilmembers warned a strict requirement could introduce red tape and delay procurement. Councilmember Jim Dolan and others said staff already uses outside experts when needed and that state law allows the practice; they favored directing staff to expand outreach for outside volunteers rather than codifying a requirement. "I think staff has heard us — when appropriate, bring in an outside person," City Manager Jess Knudson said.
After public comment and deliberation, a motion to not add a formal requirement (but to request evaluation summaries and to seek outside expertise when appropriate) passed 4–3.
The council did not adopt an ordinance; the direction gives procurement staff discretion to recruit outside technical reviewers for RFQs and to provide council with the selection committee evaluation summary in contract packets.
