Contested Suffolk police-van contract goes to NC firm – The Virginian
SUFFOLK
After reopening bidding in response to a court challenge, the city Wednesday awarded a contract for a police vehicle costing nearly $600,000 to the North Carolina company that filed the lawsuit.
Matthews Specialty Vehicles of Greensboro submitted a winning bid of $589,998 to build a police mobile command vehicle. Matthews had challenged the original contract award to Farber Specialty Vehicles of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, contending that the city did not abide by its rules and state law in awarding the contract in September.
Farber had submitted an initial bid of $589,000, nearly $65,000 less than Matthews’ original proposal. A third company’s bid also was rejected during the first round of bidding because the city said it did not contain all of the requested information.
A Circuit Court judge last month delayed the purchase from Farber pending the outcome of the lawsuit. Matthews withdrew the lawsuit after the city agreed to reopen bidding.
After a second round of bidding, Farber again was awarded the contract on Jan. 13, with a bid of $579,000. The city withdrew that award last week, however, saying Farber’s second bid contained “material misrepresentation” regarding its filing status with the Virginia Corporation Commission. Matthews’ bid was the only one remaining.
An attorney representing Matthews said the company felt vindicated.
“This is certainly the goal we have been attempting to reach for months now, through both the formal bid process and subsequent litigation,” said attorney Fred Taylor of Suffolk. “We were confident that Matthews’ bid was the most responsive to the city’s request.”
Money for the purchase was provided by a $656,503 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The vehicle will serve as a mobile command center during emergencies.
Jeff Sheler, 757-222-5563, jeff.sheler@pilotonline.com
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Article source: http://hamptonroads.com/2012/01/contested-suffolk-policevan-contract-goes-nc-firm