FLOOD09689

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: A Guide for the Engagment of Engineering Services
• Date: 1/1/1975
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: American Society of Civil Engineers
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

8

CONSULTING ENGINEERING

The Consulting Engineer who has made preliminary investigations in a manner
satisfactory to the Client nonnally is best qualified to perform the engineering
services that follow in the design and construction phases, unless he is also acting
as an advisor to the Client under circumstances that may involve a conflict of
interest.
In the development of any engineering project, no decision is more important to
the Client than the selection of the Consulting Engineer. Upon the experience,
skill, integrity, and judgment of the Engineer rests the cost, suitability and
structural soundness of the proposed work for its intended function. The
Engineer's decisions based on these factors affect costs that influence the
economic feasibility of the entire undertaking.
Qualification and experience are of critical importance in the selection of a
consulting engineer. A selection based on compensation alone, without regard to
competence which, in turn, is based on experience and qualification, can result in
unsatisfactory service to the client and higher overall project costs. There are many
factors, in addition to compensation, that are involved in securing engineering
services and in evaluating project costs. Competence in specialty fields, perfor.
mance on other projects of a similar nature and the caliber of the design teams are
some of these. Moreover, the competence of the design team will substantially
inOuence the construction cost, maintenance cost, insurance and other annual
charges of the project.
The impossibility of defining adequately in advance of negotiations the quantity
and quality of the engineering services to be secured is likely to lead to misunder-
standings as to the scope of the services to be rendered and the expectations of the
client concerning the services and the desired project.
It is for these reasons that the Society opposes legislation and regulations at all
govemment levels that require engineering services to be obtained only on the
basis of competitive bidding, and supports legislation and regulation at the federal,
state and local levels that prohibit the selection of engineering services on the basis
of competitive bidding.
It is not in the best interest of the Client or the public for the Engineer to accept
employment on a contingency basis. This does not refer to general discussions
with the Client, but to such practices as preparing preliminary reports and esti-
mates without charge, in the expectation of being retained if the project is
undertaken. The danger inherent in such a practice, which requires a favorable
recommendation for the project under investigation by the Engineer as a condition
of his compensation, is self-evident.