The MSBA Designer Selection Panel (DSP) has jurisdiction over the procurement of designers in connection with cities, towns, regional school districts, and independent agricultural and technical schools seeking funding from the MSBA for public school construction projects whose estimated construction cost is anticipated to be $5,000,000 or greater. The DSP designer selection process incorporates the procedures required by the General Laws of Massachusetts pertaining to designer services for public building construction (Chapter 7C, Section 44, et seq.).
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Please note: The DSP is now providing districts that have school projects with estimated construction costs that are anticipated to be less than $5,000,000 with the opportunity to go through the MSBA Designer Selection Panel process to select a designer. Districts should contact Marie Deslauriers at 617.720.4466 for more information. |
The goals of the DSP are:
- high quality design services for public building projects;
- application of consistent procedures in the procurement of the design services;
- broad-based participation of all qualified design consultants; and
- integrity and transparency of the process for procurement of design services.
The DSP is made up of 13 appointed members and three representatives of the local city, town or regional school district who are selected by the District on a project-by-project basis. The three members who are representatives of the respective city, town or regional school district for the specific project under consideration includes one member designated by the school committee, the superintendent of schools or his/her designee and the chief executive officer of the city or town or his/her designee.
The 13 appointed members are recruited from recommended candidates of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), the American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts (ACEC) and the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts (the AGC) as well as MSBA staff, independent design and construction professionals.
Meetings are held at the MSBA offices in Boston and are open to the public. To encourage discussion, competitors are asked to voluntarily leave the room when designer candidates are being interviewed by the DSP for specific projects.
DSP Meetings
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The next meeting of the Designer Selection Panel will be held on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
- Note: Please note that the March 9 and March 23 panel meetings have been cancelled.
View the printable:
Notification of Changes to the Affirmative Marketing Program
The Commonwealth's Affirmative Marketing Program (AMP) established under M.G.L. Chapter 7C, §6, and Governors' Executive Orders helps ensure that minority owned business enterprises (MBE) and women owned businesses (WBE) certified by the Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) have opportunities to participate on DCAMM and other public construction and design projects across the Commonwealth. DCAMM and the SDO announced a series of AMP program changes that will be in effect for state funded municipal projects advertised on or after July 1, 2020.
Please see the updates to the AMP here:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/dcamm-amp-2020-program-changes
The MSBA has updated the following MSBA forms to align with the new AMP requirements:
- Designer RFS Template
- Designer Services Base Contract for Design/Bid/Build and CM at Risk
- Designer Selection Procedures
- Designer Services Base Contract Pages 1-2 and Attachments A, C, D, E and F
Please work with local legal counsel to review and implement the new MBE and WBE participation goals in procurement documents for design and construction services that will be advertised on or after July 1, 2020.
Information about the DSP:
- DSP Meeting Results
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Designer Selection Procedures, Revised July 2020
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Designer RFS Template (Word), Revised July 2020
- Standard Designer Application Form for Municipalities and Public Agencies not within the DSB Jurisdiction - Updated July 2016
- Designer Services Base Contract for Design/Bid/Build and CM-at-Risk, Revised December 2020
DSP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Information on the Designer Roundtable
Informational Interviews
Qualified firms interested in providing designer services for Massachusetts K-12 public school projects funded through the MBSA are invited to present their qualifications to the Designer Selection Panel in a non-project-specific informational interview. These interviews are not mandatory but are offered as an opportunity for designers to introduce themselves to the DSP and present information about their overall qualifications, experience and approach. Firms will be provided approximately 15 minutes for their presentations followed by a 15 minute period of questions and answers led by DSP members. MSBA asks that interested firms review the MSBA Designer Selection Procedures and verify that they meet the minimum qualifications as a Designer in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 7C Sections 44 before requesting an informational interview. The DSP is most interested in firms that can apply for an MSBA project as the prime consultant, typically an architectural firm or A/E firm, rather than as a sub-consultant to the Designer. Please contact Marie Deslauriers at (617.720.4466) for additional information and to request an interview.
Contact Information
- If you have any questions about the Designer Selection Panel, please contact Marie Deslauriers at 617.720.4466 at the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
- All DSP meetings are held at the MSBA Offices located at 40 Broad Street, 5th Floor, unless otherwise noted.
