Volume 7 - Number 19 | May 11, 2009
Recent Issues
EDITOR'S NOTES | Issue 7-19
President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package, signed nearly two months ago, has given rise to a lot of speculation about how and where the money will be spent. Money is now starting to trickle down to agencies, municipalities and other organizations with the hope that this injection of funds will jumpstart the struggling U.S. economy.
An estimated $131 billion has been earmarked for construction-related projects. With publicly funded projects comes a plethora of regulations – rules that can make or break a contractor’s chances of a contract award. This week, we begin with a look at best practices in bidding, especially in public contracting.
Advisor
Editor Bruce Jervis walks you through ways to avoid common pitfalls. We then present you with a case in point – a contractor’s low bid on a public project was nonresponsive because it did not include all the information requested in the solicitation.
Even as contractors eagerly await the $131 billion, some projects have already fallen victim to budget cuts. For example, the National Park Service lost a substantial portion of its funding for a park renovation project. Instead of redefining the scope of the project, the agency terminated the contract for convenience. The contractor’s protest to the GAO was unsuccessful.
BEST PRACTICES IN BIDDING
Contractors are gearing up for a bidding free-for-all as President Obama’s stimulus package funds become available to federal, state and local government entities. Now is a good time for a refresher in bidding best practices, says
Construction Claims Advisor
Editor Bruce Jervis.
BID NONRESPONSIVE DUE TO MISSING PRIOR EXPERIENCE INFORMATION
A New York court shows no sympathy for a contractor’s low, yet nonresponsive bid. The bid should have included the prior experience information requested in the solicitation.
TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE UPHELD AFTER REDUCTION IN FUNDING
A government agency’s termination for convenience is justifiable, rules the GAO, after budget cuts compromise the quantity of work requested in the original solicitation.
