Council tables engineering firm selection, will restart RFQ with council input

Council discussed six responses to a June request for qualifications (RFQ) to identify engineering firms for upcoming city projects. Some members (S6) objected that the council had not been involved in drafting the RFQ or in establishing scoring criteria and urged that council members should help develop the evaluation instrument. Others (S1) said the RFQ solicited general statements about firms and restarting the process would delay projects.

"We should have a say so in what's going out," Council member (S6) said, pressing for council participation in the RFQ scoring tool. After debate the council voted to table selection and to revise the RFQ: a draft will be circulated to council members and they will provide input by the coming Monday so the RFQ can be reissued with that input.

Why it matters: The RFQ determines which engineering firms Tallulah will consider for capital projects; involving the council in drafting evaluation criteria may change shortlists and timelines for infrastructure work.