Feds to decide fate of Metro Rail contract.Feds to decide fate of Metro Rail contract The fate of a $38 million Metro Rail contract is now in the hands of the federal government, after the losing bidder accused the winner of not having a qualified minority business contractor on its team. The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to soon issue a ruling, clearing the way for construction work to begin this fall. Trouble started brewing after the construction arm of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Transportation Commission recommended that Tutor-Saliba-Perini get the $38.4 million contract to build the Metro Rail station near the corner of Wilshire Boulevard Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west arterial roads in Los Angeles, California, United States. It was named for H. Gaylord Wilshire (1861-1927), an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. and Vermont Avenue Vermont Avenue is one of the longest running north/south streets in Los Angeles. Located just west of the Harbor Freeway for the major portion south of downtown Los Angeles, it starts in Griffith Park at the Greek Theatre in the Los Feliz neighborhood as a one-lane divided road (it last month. Pleasanton-based Traylor Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) ., which was competing against Tutor, complained to federal officials that one of Tutor's subcontractors -- Golden Bear of Cypress -- was not on the LACTC's list of qualified disadvantaged business enterprises. But Rail Construction Corp. officials argued that Golden Bear was on the Southern California Rapid Transit District's list of certified minority firms, thus making it qualified to work on federally subsidized projects like Metro Rail. The station deal required that one quarter of the work be farmed out to small companies controlled or owned by women or ethnic minorities. "We've reviewed this thing from stem to stern and determined we're on solid ground," said Ed McSpeddon, RCC RCC - An extensible language. president. "But Traylor has filed a protest with the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (in the federal Department of Transportation) and they will take a look at their claim." The LACTC LACTC Los Angeles County Transportation Commission has "four to six" other subway or commuter rail contracts that have been disrupted by questions about the status of disadvantaged businesses, McSpeddon said. |
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