Design firms disgruntled with SPS bid process

Fresh from criticism surrounding the April 2 general election from a minorities-based business-networking group, Springfield Public Schools is now defending itself against at least four firms voicing concerns about its design-project selection process.

At ballot boxes, Springfield voters approved a $71.65 million bond issue to fund five construction projects valued together at $55.7 million.

In a letter to the school board and in an interview with Springfield Business Journal, Geoffrey Butler, partner of Springfield-based architectural firm Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc., said the district’s process is not fair and officials are not being transparent. Butler, Rosenbury & Partners was one of seven firms that filled out a statement of qualifications but wasn’t selected to be interviewed for consideration to design one of this year’s voter-approved projects.

“It’s not all about me. There are firms in this town that are more than qualified to do any or all of those projects that didn’t make the short list,” Butler said.

In a mid-April interview, SPS Director of Business Operations Scott Wendt said the district adjusted its bond-project policies regarding the selection of firms in 2010 to encourage general contractors to hire qualified minority-owned firms when possible and give a preference to local firms when service and costs are equal. SPS had come under fire in 2009 when it selected Omaha, Neb.-based BCDM Inc. to manage the construction of the Westport K-8 School addition.

Just prior to the April vote, the group Minorities in Business pointed out SPS’ 10-year history of not hiring minority-owned firms for its bond-financed projects. In addition to Butler, architects at Sam A. Winn & Associates Architects PC, H Design Group and Jack Ball & Associates Architects PC have expressed their disappointment with the district’s process.

Concerning selections, Wendt has said qualified general contractors are chosen based on the lowest price, but architectural firms are picked by a seven-member committee based on relevant experience and other factors. This year, he said 17 companies submitted a statement of qualifications, and 10 were granted interviews.

According to SPS spokeswoman Teresa Bledsoe, nine firms were invited to the second round with school representatives from the facilities where projects would take place. Those interviews are under way, and two of the companies are from outside the area: BCDM Inc. and St. Louis-based Ittner Architects. Final recommendations could be made to the board by June.

Criteria questioned
In 2010, the school district changed its design firm selection criteria to consider: proximity to and familiarity with the geographical area; job effectiveness, based on a past record of performance; demonstrated educational specifications writing; planning ability, efficiency and promptness; and training, specialized experience and technical competence.

The district’s statement of qualifications, which is designed to ensure firms are meeting the criteria, asks firms to demonstrate competency and timely service; appropriate staffing levels and experience; any jobs they’ve received from SPS the last five years; and an ability to meet budgets.

Butler said there are disconnects between SPS’ criteria and information sought through the statement of qualifications. For example, the qualifications don’t ask for the firm’s proximity to and familiarity with the geographical area, one of the criteria for selection.

“How do they derive that we meet the criteria based on the questions they asked? The criteria in the policy is not weighted,” Butler said, suggesting a point system to create an objective process similar to what he’s experienced bidding on a state project at Fort Leonard Wood.

Last year, Butler, Rosenbury & Partners was among a handful of Missouri firms invited by the state Office of Administration’s Division of Facilities Management, Design & Construction to bid on an Army Reserves structure. He said the bidding materials were clear about the weight of the various criteria, and Butler’s company didn’t score high enough to win the job.

“We didn’t get it, but I really didn’t care,” Butler said. “And that’s my point. If you are treated fairly, and openly and honestly, if you get it, great. If you don’t, sorry.”

Wendt said to shrink the candidate pool, members of the selection committee rank each firm based on the information submitted. Those with the lowest average ranks are not interviewed.

According to Wendt, the cost of services is negotiated after qualified firms have been selected. But if costs aren’t considered in the early stages, Butler wondered how preference is given to local firms.

“How do they do that? How do they give preference?” Butler asked.

Sam Winn, president of Springfield-based Sam A. Winn & Associates, said his company didn’t make it to the interview stage for the current round of SPS projects.

On April 22, Winn penned a letter to school board members detailing his firm’s relevant experience and calling for changes to the district’s selection process. In the letter, he said Winn & Associates has completed more than 800 educational design projects since 1977 throughout Missouri and Arkansas.

“To not even be given the opportunity to interview for one single project on the district’s list leads us to the conclusion that something in the selection process is flawed,” Winn wrote.

Exit interviews scheduled
H Design Group LLC principal Rob Haik said his firm was interviewed by the district but didn’t make the cut for the second round. He wants to know what he can do to improve his chances in the future.

“It’s disappointing, but we all know there are winners and losers. It’s the question of why – what did we say or not say that was so detrimental?” Haik said, describing the interview questions as very general. “In fairness to the district, it has to make a good conscious effort to pick who they think is best for each project. But I didn’t get the opportunity to say, ‘I’m qualified for this project.’”  

SPS Board of Education President Kris Callen said she is aware of the concerns. What’s unclear, according to Callen, is if the complaints have merit.

“Administratively, our staff has made themselves available to anyone who is interested in knowing why they did or did not make the short list this time around,” Callen said. “It’s important to figure out if this is an issue because people didn’t get selected or if this is an issue with the actual process.”

She said Wendt has scheduled exit interviews with Butler, Rosenbury & Partners and H Design Group to discuss the process, and others would be welcome. With only five projects available this year, she said the reality is that many firms won’t have an opportunity to work with SPS.

“We are not in a position to award a contract to every firm that is looking to do business with us,” she said.