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Fletcher contests bidding outcome
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Posted on Nov 27 1998
Fletcher Pacific Construction Co. has filed a protest with the Department of Public Works, claiming it should have been awarded the contract to build the Kagman Elementary School because it offers the lowest bidding price.
The project has been awarded to PAC United Corp. last week. The project broke ground on Nov. 13 in which Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, Public School System officials and legislators attended.
In a letter to acting DPW Secretary John B. Cepeda, Fletcher attorney Lecia M. Eason said the department should have followed the recommendation of Andrew W. Smith, the DPW technical services director, to award the project to Fletcher.
Later, however, Smith reversed himself, saying PAC United, in fact, offered the lowest bid “after a careful study.”
He said his initial recommendation was based on a partial list of bidders.
Fletcher originally submitted a bid of $5,744,367. Costs from the add-on to the original design, however, swelled the bidding price to $5,892,589 against PAC United’s $5,872,900 — a variance of $19,689.
Fletcher charged PAC United of failing to file its 1997 annual report. That, it said, should have been a ground for outright disqualification from the bidding process.
