Engineering Frequently Asked Questions 

 

Q  What is Engineering Design responsible for?
A  Engineering Design is responsible for the analysis, design and bidding of all of the City of Mesa's capital projects, including Utilities, Transportation, Parks & Recreation and Buildings.

Q  Do you use consultants for design work, and if so, what type of firms?
A  We currently use consultants for approximately 80% of the projects we perform.  Because of the variety of project types, we contract directly with Architects, Landscape Architects, and Civil, Environmental, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers.

Q  How does a firm become qualified to do work for the City?
A  The City doesn't pre-qualify firms or create an annual register, but we do keep a list of firms that have expressed interest in working with us.  To get on the list refer to Doing Business with Engineering Design.

Q  Once a firm is on your list, how do they get work?
A  The City selects consultants in a couple of different ways, either through direct selection or through a qualifications based selection.  Direct selection is done when the project is completely locally funded and is under the fee limits set forth in State Law ($250,000 for Architecture and Landscape Architecture, $500,000 for Engineering).  Qualifications based selection is done when State or Federal funding is being used on the project, or when the project is locally funded but the fee is expected to exceed the limits set forth in State Law.

Q  Do you have special requirements that firms need to know about?
A  The City has a boilerplate professional services contract that is non-negotiable.  This contract includes specific insurance requirements that must be met before a contract can be signed, including an insurance certification form that must be completed.  We advise any interested firms to review this document thoroughly and verify that your insurer will complete the required form before you expend resources pursuing City of Mesa work. 

Q  How do we get a copy of your standards?
A  The City uses Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) standards and City of Mesa supplements to MAG.  The Mesa Standard Details and Specifications are available on our web site, or they can be purchased at 55 North Center Street in Mesa for a nominal cost.  Our standard plan sheet formats are also available on our web site under the Standards and Details heading.  Review MAG details or MAG Uniform Standard Specification and Details for Public Works Construction:

Q  How does a consultant know what projects you have coming up in the future?
A  There are two sources for that information.  All of the projects we will perform are listed in the City's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and are available at the City Clerk's office.  Projects that we will be soliciting statements of qualifications for are listed on our web site under the heading of Architectural/Engineering Design Opportunities.

Q  How do you notify interested firms when you are soliciting Statement of Qualifications?
A  We advertise our projects in the Saturday Legal Ads in the East Valley Tribune, and we post the RFQ on our web page under the Architectural / Engineering Design Opportunities.  The City does not do direct mass mailings of advertisements.  (Outside Services, such as Integrated Marketing Systems, Dodge Reports or Reed Construction Data may report information as well, however, these services are unofficial and should be verified.)