Can the consultant provide detailed drawings for bidding?
Any consultant that is brought into a project must be able to produce designs and drawings that have enough detail for bidders to get an accurate picture of the required installation. It should spell out the job requirements as thoroughly as possible to avoid change orders during installation. In many cases the cost of the consultant will be recovered through change order savings. Ask for previous experience in projects of a similar size and nature. And ask for references. [Note: Always bid the job. The competition means that you get the best value and it keeps your installer working for your business.] Is the consultant experienced in writing RFP’s, responding to RFI’s and reviewing bids? A clear concise RFP is essential to receiving accurate bids. One that leaves too much to the contractor’s interpretation will generate misunderstandings regarding the scope and design intent. In the best case scenario, a vague RFP will generate a high number of RFI’s. In the worst case, the misunders
