Minnesota Department of Transportation

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Professional Technical Consultant Services

Consultant Corner

This Consultant Corner page provides important information to the consultant community regarding Professional/Technical (PT) contracting with MnDOT. Below, you will find notable changes to the PT contracting process, helpful reference documentation and information and quick links to navigate through the Consultant Services website.

Notable Updates

Accessibility Requirements

Questions on accessibility requirements for deliverables provided under a MnDOT contract? Visit MnDOT's Design System website to learn more.

Audit Program | Annual Audits by Consultant

Following a successful Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Pilot Program, effective July 1, 2024, MnDOT Office of Audit will implement an Audit program that conducts annual audits by consultant instead of program and contract-based audits. Reference the PT Contract Quick Look on the Audit Program, to the right, for additional information.

Legislative Changes to Preference Points and Equity Select

The State made two major contracting changes in the 2023 legislative session to help promote certified, small Minnesota-owned businesses that have historically experienced economic challenges. These changes increased preference point percentages and the Equity Select threshold, effective July 1, 2023. The new legislation can be found in Minnesota Statutes 16C.16, subdivisions 6, 6a, and 7, as seen via the links on the Minnesota Revisor’s website to the Laws of Minnesota 2023, Chapter 62, Article 2, Sections 77 – 79.

Click here for additional information: Legislative Changes to Preference Points and Equity Select

Travel (Mileage) Reimbursement (January 2024)

Starting January 1, 2024, the standard IRS mileage rate for business use of a personal vehicle is INCREASING to $0.67 (cents) per mile. This new rate should be used for all contracts and consultant billing from January 1, 2024.

MnDOT Safe Harbor Program

In 2019, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the use of the Safe Harbor Overhead Rate Program for the consultant overhead rate calculation with a cap of 110%. The purpose of this program is to allow time for engineering consulting firms to satisfy the requirements of Part 31 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation for Overhead Calculations.

In 2022, MnDOT established a Safe Harbor Program for use with consultant contracts. Consulting firms that provide engineering and design-related services on fixed hourly rate contracts may be eligible to enroll in MnDOT’s Safe Harbor Program. This program allows a consulting firm to use MnDOT’s established Safe Harbor Overhead Rate of 110.00% of direct labor for the first two years that it is under contract to work with MnDOT.

To participate in the Safe Harbor Program, consultants must certify their intent and commitment to actively work with an accountant or bookkeeper to establish an accounting system, using QuickBooks or similar software. 

Additional information on how to participate: Safe Harbor Program Quick Look

Insurance Certificates

Please email the insurance certificates (identifying the MnDOT Contract Number) to: professionaltechnicalcontractforms.dot@state.mn.us (copy the State’s Authorized Representative). When submitting electronically, hard copies are not necessary.

Performance Evaluation Work Flow

Performance Evaluation Application for Professional/Technical can be accessed as follows:

Process/Instruction Documents

If you have additional questions, after reviewing the documentation, please contact Consultant Services.

AASHTOWare Access Provisions

P/T contracts that include AASHTOWare activities must adhere to the following agreements:

Reference Documents/Information

Following are a few key reference documents that are beneficial for the consultant community. Contact information can be found under the Contacts tab.