Company challenges award of travel plaza contract

The Baltimore Sun ^ | January 31, 2012 | Candus Thomson

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The multimillion-dollar contract to turn Maryland's travel plazas on Interstate 95 over to an out-of-state company is being challenged by a Bethesda-based firm that says the bidding process favored the eventual winner.

HMSHost has filed a protest with the Maryland Transportation Authority, saying that bid specifications to replace the Maryland House and Chesapeake House were too vague and that Areas USA, a Florida company, was the only bidder allowed to sweeten its offer.

"This is like a kick in the gut and we're trying to get our breath back," said Michael Jones, the HMSHost vice president who put the bid together. "The governor always says the state is open for business, but the state has not demonstrated that Maryland is open to state businesses. This doesn't add up."

Time for an appeal may be running out. The Board of Public Works is scheduled to vote on the Areas contract Feb. 22 and the General Assembly is conducting a separate review. A state transportation spokesman said there are no plans to ask for a delay.

"We don't know that [the authority] has a time limit to respond. In their minds, maybe they think they can … run out the clock," Jones said, adding that HMSHost had asked the agency to explain its decision. "We asked for a debriefing and we have gotten no response."

The attorney general's office is reviewing the protest, which was filed late Monday, to determine how to proceed, state transportation officials said in an email Tuesday afternoon.

A representative for Miami-based Areas said the company would not comment on the selection process.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[Lmo56]

Check O’Malley’s pocket - he musta gotten a BOATLOAD of cash for this ...