IIBEC Calls on Massachusetts Legislature to Safeguard Fair, Qualifications-Based Design Procurement

By Irene Butler

IIBEC has submitted a letter to the Massachusetts Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight expressing concerns regarding Bill H.3424, An Act to Enhance Cooperative Purchasing Opportunities for Cities and Towns.

In the letter, IIBEC urged lawmakers to ensure that any updates to municipal procurement law exclude architectural, engineering, and other professional design services from cooperative purchasing programs. IIBEC emphasized that such services should continue to be procured through the qualifications-based selection (QBS) process, as required under existing state and federal law.

The organization also highlighted that Massachusetts law already applies QBS to both vertical and horizontal public works projects and encouraged legislators to maintain these safeguards to ensure professional independence, transparency, and long-term value for taxpayers.