Rail Contractor Says City Rejected 'Best Value'

Honolulu's rail contracting process took a direct hit from a frustrated bidder Wednesday.

More than six hours into a heated meeting, and just minutes before the session was adjourned, members of the City Council Transportation Committee heard the contractor tell them that the administration had given a false impression about the cost of a deal announced last week.

The claim was like throwing fuel on a fire, coming as it did after relentless questioning of the administration over its handling of the $5.5 billion project.

Andrew Robbins, vice president of business development for Bombardier, stepped forward and gave surprise testimony.

Robbins claimed that his company offered a cheaper alternative than the winning bidder, Ansaldo Honolulu, and that it would have scored higher in the rankings used to evaluate projects if his firm hadn't been improperly disqualified. The third company that tried to win the contract to design, build, operate and maintain the rail cars and system, Sumitomo Corp., has also objected to the city's process in awarding what's known as the "core systems" contract.

The thrust of Robbins' allegation was that Ansaldo gave a rosier price when it comes to the construction portion of the project, but that his firm offered a better overall value if construction and operating costs were totaled.

Robbins said he felt compelled to set the record straight after sitting through hours of testimony from Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle's administration, including discussion of why his company's proposal had been disqualified.

"I think our reputation is at stake," Robbins said. "Bombardier submitted the overall best value to the city."

Loading