GA SB51

Counties and municipalities must use a qualifications-based competitive selection process (rather than lowest-bid requirements) when acquiring professional services from architects, interior designers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and professional engineers for projects exceeding $1 million in construction costs or $75,000 in professional service fees.

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 to be publicly advertised in requests for proposals.

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

Local governments may enter into multiparty on-demand contracts with multiple qualified providers and may expand the scope of services with existing providers who have satisfactory working relationships without new competitive selection.

Effective date is July 1, 2027.