Though the state has already signed a contract with disaster recovery firm IEM to administer its $1.3 billion flood recovery program for homeowners, the company that lost out on the contract, AECOM, is continuing to protest the award to IEM.
AECOM filed a protest with the state on April 20 challenging IEM’s award on the grounds that its proposal was the second-most costly of the five submitted to the state.
In an addendum to that protest filed late Wednesday, AECOM challenges the IEM award on the grounds that AECOM is more technically qualified to handle the construction and program management of the Restore Louisiana program than is IEM.
“AECOM’s qualifications and experience are greater than the selected firm, IEM, and, given that the technical approaches of AECOM and IEM are very similar, we would expect the overall technical approach scoring for AECOM roughly identical to that of the selected firm,” reads a cover letter to the Office of State Procurement accompanying the protest addendum. “Had the technical scoring been graded accordingly, AECOM would be the highest overall scoring firm.”
Specifically, AECOM argues in the addendum that its staff has “more relevant experience than IEM’s,” that IEM “misled the selection panel” about its experience, and that “AECOM staff has more experience … and depth” than IEM, among other things.
It may seem like filing additional protests is a lost cause at this point, especially given the political hay that critics of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration have made over delays to the flood recovery program and the sense of urgency to get the program up and running.
But those familiar with the procurement process say it’s worth challenging the award on the slim chance that outside forces—members of the Restore Louisiana Task Force, for instance—recommend that the administration revisit the issue.
AECOM has said its proposal would cost the state some $70 million less than IEM’s. The contract the state signed with IEM April 21 is worth an estimated $227 million.
For now, the state is moving forward with IEM as its contractor. Procedurally, it is required to review the protest and respond to it. If AECOM, or other protestors, are not satisfied with the response, they can appeal to Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne. Depending on his decision, AECOM could take the matter to court, though sources familiar with the situation say litigation is unlikely.
—Stephanie Riegel
