Since 1980, the Department of Finance and Administration’s Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management has paid or contracted for over $37 million in architectural/engineering fees does not show a definitive trend of biased or unsupported firm selections; however, because of weaknesses in the bureau’s selection process and lack of strong documented uniform criteria, the potential exists for inequities in the bureau’s selection of architectural/engineering firms.
PEER recommends that the bureau strengthen its documentation requirements, prescribe uniform proposal procedures for architectural/engineering firms, and formally follow up on each project with user agencies. The report also includes proposed draft legislation requiring the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management to review and pre-approve all state agency architectural/engineering services except for self-generated funds projects of the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning.
For a paper copy of this report, contact PEER by telephone at 601-359-1226 or by e-mail at reports@peer.ms.gov.