The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Bid Protest Unit (“AG”) recently decided that when an awarding authority seeks references not listed by the sub-bidder, it must give the sub-bidder the opportunity to respond when such reviews are negative.
In the case, the Barre Housing Authority (“BHA”) sought public bids for a panel replacement project. BHA checked the references for the low sub-bidder, but also reached out to an unlisted public entity for which the sub-bidder had previously performed work. That public entity gave the sub-bidder a negative review, which caused BHA to reject the low sub-bidder’s bid.
The sub-bidder filed a bid protest. Pursuant to Massachusetts public bidding laws the AG’s office conducted an investigation and held a hearing. The AG decided that while BHA reaching out to references not listed by the sub-bidder was not improper, by doing so they implicitly created an obligation to offer the sub-bidder a chance to rebut the negative reference.
The AG ordered BHA to reconsider its decision to reject the low sub-bidder, in light of the ruling. Should you have questions concerning your rights as a bidder, you’d be well-advised to consult with an experienced construction attorney versed in public bidding protests.
