Contractors say bids thrown out unfairly in Baltimore County
My colleague, Mary Gail Hare, writes today about minority contractors who say their bids were dismissed for minor oversights in paperwork. There is an update to her story. Late Tuesday, the day before James W. Ancel was to address the state Board of Public Works, the county purchasing office notified him that they were granting his appeal and reinstating him as the lowest responsible bidder on the Milford Mill Academy renovation. His bid had been disqualified for a minor miscue - a plus sign to show he had exceeded the required percentage - on the minority participation information he had provided. He appealed the decision and vowed to go to court, if the county schools did not resolve the matter. He and his attorney are in Annapolis today. They said they will criticize "a perfection policy" that is costing taxpayers millions more for school construction projects and asking for state review of rejections of low bidders.
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Comments
What on earth is going on in Baltimore County? Where is the moral compass?
Posted by: WHAT? | January 20, 2010 5:03 PM
Just another example of how BCPS has lost control and is out of touch with the real world.
Posted by: John in Essex | January 20, 2010 10:28 PM
BCPS can't seem to get anything right these days. I guess their AIM is off!
Posted by: btw | January 21, 2010 8:34 AM
If you think the county is bad in this regard, you should take a look at the Baltimore City schools. They demand that minority goals be met during the bid process, but do not enforce the meeting of the goals after the bid is awarded.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 21, 2010 10:43 AM
I've worked in this industry for over 20 years and have an intimate knowledge of this situation. The amount of money that is trown away in the name of the MBE program is astonishing. The suggestion that a "good faith effort" is the rule is false. There are manditory requirement that must be met. Period. I'm sure there was a time when these programs made sense but today, if you are a qualified bidder to a general contractor, nobody cares if you have horns on your head. If you are the low bid you will get the job.
Posted by: Sam Hatch | January 21, 2010 1:59 PM
A number of years ago a minority owned tile floor laying company worked in a school I used to work in. A father and his three kids all under the age of 12 put down tile in classrooms. The kids were using very dangerous cutting devices. More tnan half the tiles were cut incorrectly and were thrown out. The ones that were put down didn't fit together, had huge gaps,broken corners etc. Thresholds were never installed. It was a mess and BCPS facilities,the principal,no one could/would fix the problem. Awful waste of money but a minority contract was awarded and no one supervised, check-up...NOTHING! And the floor stayed and we paid! (maybe???)
Posted by: wise educator | January 21, 2010 6:53 PM