The partnership that submitted the lowest bid to construct the $1.9 billion Southwest light-rail line asked members of the Metropolitan Council Wednesday why its proposal — and three others from competitors — faces likely rejection next week by the regional planning body.
"We're a little disappointed," said Ron Ames, Midwest region president of Burnsville-based Ames Construction.
"We all put in a big effort to put the project together, we spent millions of dollars and many, many hours."
Four bids for the 14½-mile line from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie were opened in August, and ranged from Ames' $797 million to $1.08 billion.
But on Monday, Met Council Chairwoman Alene Tchourumoff recommended that the bids be rejected because they came in over budget and were not "responsive." The council has not revealed the construction budget for the line, or detailed in what way the bids were lacking.
This frustrated officials from the Ames Kraemer partnership, which submitted the low bid. "We don't know anything, other than our bid," said Dave Zanetell, president of Kraemer North America. He said his partnership spent about $1 million preparing its bid.
Few answers were forthcoming from the council on Wednesday, which cited a state law that says "nonpublic data" related to a public bid is private "until completion of the selection process."
Typically, the lowest bid would win the contract for a large public project like Southwest, assuming all other considerations are met. In Southwest's case, said Mary Bogie, the Met Council's chief financial officer, the "price was a concern for all bidders.
