GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

1987 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 102

HOUSE BILL 277

 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE A MODEL CODE FOR PROCUREMENT OF ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES BY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  It is the public policy of this State and all public subdivisions and Local Governmental Units thereof, except in cases of special emergency involving the health and safety of the people or their property, to announce all requirements for architectural and engineering services, to select firms qualified to provide such services on the basis of demonstrated competence and qualification for the type of professional services required without regard to fee other than unit price information at this stage, and thereafter to negotiate a contract for architectural or engineering services at a fair and reasonable fee with the best qualified firm.  If a contract cannot be negotiated with the best qualified firm, negotiations with that firm shall be terminated and initiated with the next best qualified firm.

Sec. 2.  Units of local government or the North Carolina Department of Transportation may in writing exempt particular projects from the provisions of the act in the case of:

(a)       proposed projects where an estimated professional fee is in an amount less than thirty thousand dollars ($30,000), or

(b)       other particular projects exempted in the sole discretion of the Department of Transportation or the unit of local government, stating the reasons therefor and the circumstances attendant thereto.

Sec. 3.  On architectural or engineering contracts, the Department of Transportation or the Department of Administration may provide, upon request by a County, City, Town or other subdivision of the State, advice in the process of selecting consultants or in negotiating consultant contracts with architects and engineers or both.

Sec. 4.  This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27th day of April, 1987.