.04 Expression of Interest.

A. After receipt of the Secretary’s or designee’s certification, the Procuring Agency, using text prepared by the agency requesting the services, shall place public announcements on eMaryland Marketplace (eMM) and any optional agency identified publications and/or websites indicating that the request to procure architectural and engineering services has been certified by the Secretary of Transportation or the Secretary of General Services or their designee. MDOT shall advertise in the Daily Record or similar publication.

B. Public announcement guidelines are as follows:

(1) Generally, public announcements shall be places for a specific project. However, to the extent practical and feasible, as determined by the Procurement Agency, two or more projects which are similar in nature and scope of services may be included in a single public announcement, and multiple reduced candidate lists established from those responding to the announcement.

(2) In some cases, the Procuring Agency may desire to award two or more Indefinite Quantity contracts which are identical in nature and scope of services, for work to be performed in the same defined geographical area. In these cases, the public announcement shall indicate that two or more contracts may be awarded from a single reduced candidate list.

C. The public announcements shall contain at least the following:

(1) Agency’s name.

(2) Project number.

(3) Description of the Project, and the architectural and/or engineering service to be procured.

(4) Indication of:

(a) Specific requirements, as a prerequisite for consideration;

(b) The major factors/criteria for the project;

(c) Indication how interested consultants may receive additional documentation about the procurement, if available; and

(d) Provision of a minimum of 20 days from the date of announcement for response by interested consultants.

D. If requiring the optional Expression of Interest submission separate from the Technical Proposal, the public announcements must also include the following:

(1) A statement from respondents’ indicating of the prime contractor participant or participants, and the areas of involvement of each named Sub-consultant. The statement shall further advise respondents that if they are placed on the reduced candidate list, their submission of proposals should substantially reflect this same composition and areas of involvement.

(2) Indication that reduced candidate lists shall consist of two or more consultants from whom technical proposals shall be requested, and that contract negotiations shall be conducted with the consultant(s) which submits the highest rated technical proposal(s).

(3) The major factors/criteria for the establishment of a reduced candidate list.