Which procurement approach allows owners to negotiate with the most qualified proposer?

The procurement approach that allows owners to negotiate with the most qualified proposer is best described by the concept of best value. This method prioritizes not just the lowest bid but evaluates proposals against a set of criteria, which may include qualifications, experience, technical solutions, and pricing. It allows the owner to engage in discussions with proposers to refine their proposals and negotiate terms to achieve the best overall value for the project.

While competitive bidding focuses solely on price and typically does not involve negotiations, and firm fixed pricing emphasizes a set price without flexibility for negotiations, the design-build to budget method may involve a fixed budget but doesn’t inherently include negotiations with proposers. Therefore, best value stands out as the approach that allows for negotiation with the most qualified proposer to enhance the probability of successful project outcomes based on merit, rather than just cost.