The City of Brentwood pursues state and federal funding for transportation projects when possible. In some cases, the City chooses to manage projects locally in order to expedite the project or to maintain more control over the implementation of the project. When managing projects locally, the City is required to coordinate through TDOT's Local Programs office and to follow its guidelines.
The Local Programs office recently (March 15, 2019) published revised guidelines for locally managed projects (attached). The new guidelines require jurisdictions to formally adopt TDOT's policy for consultant selection. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that federal and state regulations are followed in the course of selecting consultants such as design engineers and architects. Please keep in mind that this policy would only apply to consultant selection for projects that are funded, in whole or in part, with federal or state funds and locally managed through TDOT's Local Programs office. It should also be noted that Brentwood had previously adopted an earlier version of the policy and this action is necessary to adopt the latest version of the selection policy, which is attached.
Some of the regulations the policy requires the City to follow include:
- Brooks Act - Mandates that consultants for public projects be selected based on qualifications and not cost
- TDOT's Approved List of Consultants - We must select consultants on TDOT's approved list
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) - Ensures DBE's have opportunity to participate in federally funded projects
In addition to the regulations listed above, the policy establishes evaluation criteria for qualification statements submitted by consultants as well as specific contract requirements and requirements that relate to advertising for consultant services.
The policy also requires the City formally establish a Consultant Evaluation Committee (CEC) that will oversee consultant selections made under this policy. Therefore, as part of this approval, staff requests that the members of the CEC be established as follows:
- City Manager
- Assistant City Manager (in City Manager's absence)
- Engineering Director
- Public Works Director (for roadway related projects)
- Water Services Director (for utility related projects)
It is important to note that the City of Brentwood already follows many of these requirements when selecting consultants; however, we are required by TDOT to formally adopt the policy in order to locally manage projects. Some examples of locally managed projects we've executed in the past include Phase III of Concord Road widening (Jones Parkway to Arrowhead Drive) and the joint Brentwood/Metro traffic study. Staff is in the process of implementing a CMAQ Signal Upgrade Project which is required to comply with the TDOT selection policy.
Please direct any questions to the Engineering Director.
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