Chehalis staff outline on‑call engineering roster to speed public works projects

Public works staff presented the council with a plan to use an on‑call engineering roster to accelerate procurement for routine public works projects. Staff said the fall 2025 RFP returned 18 statements of qualifications (SOQs), and the on‑call list will allow staff to negotiate with pre‑qualified firms and bring recommended contracts to council for approval rather than issuing a full SOQ for every small project.

Staff emphasized that qualifications—rather than price—govern selection of engineering firms, and that the city will still negotiate costs and can send project‑specific RFPs where specialized expertise is needed. Councilors asked whether the on‑call process could reduce competition or cause price creep over time. Staff replied the approach is common among other cities, that audit outcomes have been acceptable in peer municipalities, and that the city can still use open solicitations for projects that need broader competition.

Councilors asked about tiers to avoid freezing out smaller local firms; staff said they will use the on‑call list for routine, smaller projects but will issue separate solicitations for large or specialized work (for example, bridge design). The on‑call approach is intended to shorten procurement timelines for common engineering needs while retaining oversight and council approval for contract awards and pricing negotiations.

The council did not take a formal vote on policy changes in this session; staff said selected engineering contracts and specific project awards will be presented to council for approval as separate action items.