Section 37-2-63 - Selection of firms for discussion with chief purchasing officer - Final selection(a) The committee shall select no more than three (3) firms (or two (2) firms, if only two (2) apply) evaluated as being professionally and technically qualified. The firms selected, if still interested in providing the services, may be required to make a representative available to the chief purchasing officer or his or her designee at such time and place as he or she shall determine, to provide such further information as he or she may require.(b) The chief purchasing officer or his or her designee shall negotiate with the highest qualified firm for a contract for architectural, engineering, or consultant services for state departments and agencies at compensation which the chief purchasing officer determines to be fair and reasonable to the state. In making the determination, the chief purchasing officer shall take into account the professional competence of the offerors, the technical merits of the offerors, and the price for which the services are to be rendered. The chief purchasing officer shall be responsible for the final selection of the providers of architectural, engineering or consultant services and shall so inform the purchasing agent.P.L. 1989, ch. 526, §2; P.L. 1999 , ch. 367, § 1.