it seems it could be achieved with with "Query String (URL) Filter webpart", but it requires SP enterprise.

2013 - Can I filter a Web Part list using parameters from the URL? - SharePoint Stack Exchange 

We are using an enterprise version of SharePoint. The issue is very specifically with the fact that I must use a number (Item ID must be a non-zero positive number) in the Item ID field when configuring the web part. I cannot leave the field empty and it is not recognized by the Query String URL Filter web part.

and if you try from list form web part settings "Get row from"?

I see where you're going, I gave that a try and while the page is unfiltered, yes I can click the filter arrows and see the form update, but once I use the URL with the query string the list web parts all filter but the form remains displaying the first project in the list.

let me understand your setup.

so you have list form web part, list view web part and query string web part on the page?

query string web part takes over a value from URL.

list view web part is filtered by query string value.

and in turn list form web part is filtered by a value from list view web part?

All true Marian. I ended up opening a support ticket and it turns out this issue appears to be a bug. The support person was able to replicate the issue and has submitted it to the development team for resolution.

In the meantime I pushed myself to learn more about the SharePoint forms controls in the forms designer and I have a really cool workaround. I took all the "web parts" I was using on the query string page and made them list view controls in the form itself. So the user will get what they need (to be able to see the project info and artifacts in one place) and I can close this out until the bug is corrected.

thanks for letting us know.

just to be sure, is it a nintex bug or sharepoint one?

I ask since I recall some problems/bugs in sharepoint itself when several webparts were cascaded with filters.

It is a Nintex bug. It is not receiving filter data on page load and is waiting for action from the list (or something like that).  Once Nintex is taken out of the situation (and if I replace the Nintex for with another form format like InfoPath) the issue is not present.