What is QBS?

Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) is a process that enables the project owner to obtain the services of a highly qualified engineering professional at a fair and reasonable cost, and investment in quality that will save money over the life of the project.

Every construction project is unique, with its own technical challenges. For any project to be successful, owners and design professionals must share the understandings of these challenges and the services needed to transform generalized concepts into reality. During the construction process, design professionals represent the owner's interests in day-to-day dealings with contractors, suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and others providing goods
and services on the project. For this reason, owners and design professionals need to establish a professional relationship characterized by trust, respect and effective communication.

QBS develops this type of relationship by bringing the owner and design professional together as a team, enabling them to define the project in detail and agree upon the services that will be required to make the project a reality. This prevents competing design firms from fee bidding and cutting the scope of work performed just to get the job. The design team will make certain that appropriate project analysis, engineering and economic studies are made.
The project benefits from this professional service and is delivered in a functional, efficient manner, within budget and on time. No wonder, then, that QBS is the most widely endorsed method for selecting a design professional.

Contractor groups, public works officials, and the American Bar Association endorse QBS Agencies of the federal government and the state of Maryland are required by law to use this procedure in selecting design professionals.