GA HB377

Counties and municipalities must use a qualifications-based competitive selection process (under Code Section 36-91-3) when acquiring professional services from architects, interior designers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and professional engineers, exempting these contracts from the standard two-estimate requirement for expenditures between $20,000 and $250,000.

Local governments may evaluate professional service proposals based on criteria including personnel ability, past performance, project approach, office location, workload capacity, and familiarity with local procedures, with qualification criteria set forth in publicly advertised requests for proposals.

Local governments are prohibited from requiring cost estimates for professional services as part of initial proposal submissions or prior to commencing contract negotiations.

Local governments may enter into multiparty on-demand contracts with multiple professional service providers selected based solely on qualifications, and may expand scope with existing providers demonstrating satisfactory working relationships.

The Act becomes effective July 1, 2027, and extends existing state agency professional services procurement rules under Title 50, Chapter 22 to apply to counties, municipalities, and consolidated governments.