Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO) and Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) have announced the finalization of a Standard Client/Engineer Agreement for Professional Consulting Services. The standard agreement aims at helping Ontario’s 444 municipalities practice a fair procurement process by outlining equitable, consistent terms and conditions for both clients and consulting engineers.
“The standard agreement is built on the principles of partnership and fairness. It symbolizes a collaborative approach to creating a favourable business environment for both clients and consulting engineers,” said Barry Steinberg, Chief Executive Officer of Consulting Engineers of Ontario.
The consulting engineering sector is one of few professional service providers that allow clients to prescribe the terms and conditions under which they offer their services. In response, the two associations have been working closely together to review and update the 2006 version of the MEA/CEO Agreement for Engineering Services so that municipalities can use a contract that is up-to-date with the present business landscape.
“This standard agreement will enable municipalities to be more efficient in doing business with consulting engineers. The template will allow smaller municipalities particularly to save on the significant time and cost spent on creating a contract,” said Reg Russwurm, President of the Municipal Engineers Association.
“It has been a lengthy, complex process but also a very rewarding one,” said Geoff Pound, chair of CEO’s Municipal Engineers Association Liaison Committee. “The revised standard agreement is now in line with current municipal engineering business practices. This will be a benefit to both municipalities and the consulting engineering industry.”
The standard agreement is available for download on the CEO and MEA websites at www.ceo.on.ca and www.municipalengineers.on.ca, respectively.