(a)(1) Except in the case of a project, a priority higher education facility project, a project, as defined in subdivision (16) of § 10a-109c, undertaken by The University of Connecticut, a community court project, a correctional facility project, a juvenile residential center project, and the downtown Hartford higher education center project, the commissioner shall negotiate a contract for consultant services with the firm most qualified, in the commissioner’s judgment, at compensation which the commissioner determines is both fair and reasonable to the state. (2) In the case of a project, the commissioner shall negotiate a contract for such services with the most qualified firm from among the list of firms submitted by the panel at compensation which the commissioner determines in writing to be fair and reasonable to the state. If the commissioner is unable to conclude a contract with any of the firms recommended by the panel, the commissioner shall, after issuing written findings of fact documenting the reasons for such inability, negotiate with those firms which the commissioner determines to be most qualified, at fair and reasonable compensation, to render the particular consultant services under consideration. (3) Whenever consultant services are required for a priority higher education facility project, a project involving the construction, repair or alteration of a building or premises under the supervision of the Office of the Chief Court Administrator or property where the Judicial Department is the primary occupant, a community court project, a correctional facility project, a juvenile residential center project, or the downtown Hartford higher education center project, the commissioner shall select and interview at least three consultants or firms and shall negotiate a contract for consultant services with the firm most qualified, in the commissioner’s judgment, at compensation which the commissioner determines is both fair and reasonable to the state. Except for the downtown Hartford higher education center project, the commissioner shall notify the State Properties Review Board of the commissioner’s action not later than five business days after such action for its approval or disapproval in accordance with subsection (i) of § 4b-23, except that if, not later than fifteen days after such notice, a decision has not been made, the board shall be deemed to have approved such contract.

(b) In determining fair and reasonable compensation to be paid in accordance with subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner shall consider, in the following order of importance, the professional competence of the consultant, the technical merits of the proposal, the ability of the firm to perform the required services within the time and budgetary limits of the contract and the price for which the services are to be rendered.