
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 11, 1995                   TAG: 9506100009
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SELECTING AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT

Here are some factors to consider and questions to ask when employing a consultant for environmental tasks.

Seek a company that has been in business at least 36 months.

Ask if the company's primary focus is environmental consulting - whether 70 percent or more of its revenue is from environmental projects.

The outfit should have a professional engineer or other registered professional on staff to sign permits and reports, which holds the consultant liable. NationsBank Corp. environmental risk manager Stephen Jones warns, though, that not all professional engineers are versed in environmental work, so ask about the engineer's training and specialization.

The company should have insurance coverage for general liability, errors and omissions liability for "phase one" environmental assessments, and pollution liability for "phase two and three" environmental testing and cleanups.

The consultant should be located in the same state as the work to be done, because "you don't want a consultant on a learning curve." Each state's requirements are slightly different. Also, proximity to the property or business cuts down on travel time and mileage charged by the consultant.

Ask for an "SOQ," or Statement of Qualifications. This would include educational background of the individuals doing the work, as well as certifications and professional registration.

Ask about the equipment they own. The more work a consultant has to contract out, the higher the cost is likely to be.

Ask for references, and look for large corporations, which usually have the resources and staff to thoroughly screen consultants.

Ask about turnaround time for analysis of water, soil or air samples and other reports. Consultants that do their own lab work usually are quicker. See if their lab is certified by a state or federal agency. (Virginia does not certify labs operating in the state.)

For petroleum pollution, compare the cost that the state will reimburse for cleanup to the consultant's estimate to see if they're in line.

Sources: NationsBank Corp. environmental risk manager Stephen Jones and other consultants.

by CNB