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City staff explains RFQ vs. RFP and how grants affect selections
Summary
Public works director Brian Johnson told the commission that RFQs prioritize firm qualifications and are required for state and federal grant projects, while RFPs include price proposals up front; he also outlined the committee review, scope-and-fee negotiation, and award steps.
Brian Johnson, the city’s director of public works, gave a step-by-step presentation on how Manhattan solicits professional services and distinguishes requests for qualifications from requests for proposals. He said RFQs are used to identify the most qualified firm when the city is seeking professional design services and that pricing is negotiated later during scope-and-fee discussions, noting that RFQs are required for projects tied to state or federal grants.
"RFQ, we are asking for professional design services from a firm that has experience in that design. We're not asking for a price; that comes later during the scope and fee process," Johnson said. He explained that after firms submit qualifications a committee reviews them, makes a recommendation to the commission, and the commission authorizes staff to begin scope-and-fee negotiations.
Johnson also summarized RFPs: "The RFP has a proposal for their cost in it," he said, describing how proposals that include fees allow the city to evaluate price alongside qualifications. He said the city maintains an on-call RFQ program of prequalified firms for smaller projects so staff can obtain scope-and-fee proposals more quickly when work arises.
The presentation closed with operational details Johnson said the public can review online — the purchasing policy and the city’s engineer-on-call process — and with a reminder that every contract above the director’s $50,000 limit still comes back before the governing body for approval.
