Designer Selection Process

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.).

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

 
*Designer Selection Panel
Meeting Schedule
8:30 AM
November 2019
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
          1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
             
 
*Please note that this schedule is subject to change. The MSBA advises interested attendees to check back here or contact us to confirm the date of a specific meeting.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The next meeting of the Designer Selection Panel will be held on:

  • Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.
    • Meeting Agenda

View the printable:

Information about the DSP:

DSP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Information on the Designer Roundtable

Informational Interviews

  • 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. 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.