Advocacy

As the voice for the consulting engineering sector on PEI our main goal is to stay focused on the key issues that affect our members and ensure their positions are made known.

For most clients, selecting an engineering firm may be the most important decision in ensuring the success of a project. For that reason, the procurement process is of specific interest to us. ACEC-PEI advocates the use of Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) as the preferred method for procuring engineering services. QBS takes into account a company’s experience and skills i.e., qualifications, as opposed to awarding a contract based on the low price.

Infrastructure is the backbone of our economy and social wellbeing. Whether it be underground piping system, roads, bridges, airports, schools or hospitals, a long term financial plan to maintain and grow our infrastructure systems on PEI and in Canada is crucial to compete both locally and globally. ACEC-PEI believes a long term, sustainable plan to address the infrastructure deficit is required and that all levels of government must work together to address the needs.

ACEC-PEI is working to tackle these and other important issues in several ways by:

• raising political awareness of issues at the federal and provincial level
• engaging with government departments that hire engineering firms
• allying with other organizations that are also affected by current practices
• negotiating an agreement with the PEI Department of Transportation, Infrastructure and Environment to move away from price based selection 
• promoting the use of ACEC-Canada standard contracts with clients
• raising awareness of the importance of the professional engineering sector both socially and economically

InfraGuide Best Practice: These guidelines for selecting professional consultants, a joint venture between the National Research Council (NRC) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), were created for public agencies in Canada.

Check out our Best Practices Document for Selecting a Consutling Engineeer

More Resources on QBS

 

Video: Qualifications, Experience & Competence = Best Value for Clients

Information on Infrastructure investment