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QBS
Progress Report
October 2002
Because of the support of the national coalition, this is the fourth year
for our QBS Project. We overlooked submission of our two-month report and
hope that this report may serve as both the two-month and mid-year report.
We are continually looking for ways to reach governmental officials and
the private sector in our QBS education. You will see below the activities
we have accomplished this year to date. Please keep in mind that each of
our programs can be used as a template by other states' organizations in
reaching their audiences.
In summary we have accomplished the following:
-We are in the planning stages of repeating our four regional trainings
for government officials. Our strategic plan lays out a schedule in which
we will offer these sessions every other year and in the off years we will
attend the annual meetings and conferences of the government agencies we
are targeting (cities, counties, highway districts, state departments,
school districts). In the past over 200 governmental officials have
attended our 2.5 hour training on what QBS is, the laws, and the
advantages. We have chosen late February/early March of 2003 for a repeat
of these sessions.
-Since our beginning we have actively pursued 152 complaints or requests
for information on QBS, resulting in over 60 agencies agreeing to withdraw
their bids and send out an RFQ utilizing QBS. We have answered numerous
questions and given technical advice to agencies in preparing and
proceeding through the hiring process. We have become the organization
that is called for advice. Recently the Department of Commerce has asked
us to write an insert for their grants management manual; AlA asked us to
make a presentation to their members; the Idaho Association of Counties
asked us to do a presentation at their annual conference; we have been
included in statewide discussions on design build and how QBS can be part
of that. Our biggest accomplishment in the last three months culminated
two years of working with the Department of Lands. The Department has
incorporated QBS in their proposals.
-We have drafted and will send a letter of congratulations to all of the
newly elected officials in the state, from congressional delegation
members, state legislators, school district board members to county
commissioners informing them of QBS, the law and sending information
packets. We see the continuing need for education, as each year the
elected officials in our state change.
-We have developed a web site offering general QBS information
(www.idahoqbs.com). We have a Webmaster and do regular updates. We are
working with a few other ACEC
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state member organizations on possibly "copying" this site for their
states.
-We are working actively with state and local agencies to promote the QBS
process and provide any information we can to clarify the law.
-We added a new "paying" partner this year, the American Society of
Landscape Architects (They have always been a partner but this year have
contributed funds to the cause). Other partners have either increased or
maintained their contributions as well.
-We continue to maintain, recruit and train the Corp of Volunteers. The
Corp consists of engineers of all disciplines, architects, surveyors, and
landscape architects from both the public and private sectors. These
volunteers contribute their time and energy when requested to promote and
educate on the QBS process. They have responded to requests for assistance
and will provide limited technical assistance to governmental entities
that need help. Their activities are coordinated by the facilitator.
-A facilitator is continuing to work with the Council. She coordinates all
activities, receives all complaints and prepares responses, keeps track of
the Corp of Volunteers and schedules them upon request, does the
administrative work of the Council (including running the office and
answering phones) and works closely with the Treasurer. She is able to
respond quickly to requests and works closely with the Council to solve
problems and issues that arise. We continue to maintain a QBS phone number
that is answered during regular business hours (M-F, 9am to 5pm)
-We participated in the national nomination of QBS recognition by
nominating our Idaho Transportation Department.
As has always been the case, the nine partners of this endeavor have
committed their time, energy and/or funding for the four-year period that
began in the 1999 year. The partners include:
Consulting Engineers of Idaho (CEI)
American Institute of Architects (AlA)
Idaho Society of Professional Engineers (ISPE)
Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS)
Structural Engineers Association of Idaho (SEAl)
American Public Works Association (APW A)
Association of Idaho Cities Public Works Directors Association (AIC)
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
Local Highway Technical Assistance Council (LHTAC)
(Editor's note…This
report was prepared by Teri Ottens on behalf of the QBS Facilitator
Council. The QBS Facilitator Council is made up of representatives from
the partners listed at the end of the report. QBS Facilitator Council, PO
Box 3746, Boise, ID 83703 Phone - 208-321-1736, Fax - 208-321-4819.)
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Idaho
Society of Professional Engineers
