The City of Prince George has awarded an approximately $1-million contract without going to tender for architectural services of the Kin Centre upgrade for the 2015 Canada Winter Games, The Citizen has learned.
The so-called sole-source contract was awarded earlier this week to Vancouver-based PBK Architects. It was posted on the B.C. government's B.C. Bid site, which is a clearing house for contract opportunities for the province and municipalities.
The city has awarded sole-source contracts in the past, but this is the largest.
According to the city's sole-source purchase policy, the award only requires a decision of the city manager after a report is delivered outlining the rationale. That report was delivered by Scott Bone, the city's manager of supply and fleet services, and signed off by acting city manager Kathleen Soltis.
The decision does not require the input of mayor or council.
In an eight-point rationale on the sole-source decision delivered to The Citizen, Bone outlined that the award was made on the basis that PBK Architects was familiar with the project, and that going to tender would take time that would negatively impact the $15.8-million rebuild of the Kin 1 arena at the Kin Centre.
"It's important to point out that when you are looking at an architectural firm of this nature, particularly sports firms, it's somewhat unique," Bone said in an interview Thursday.
"We always want to look at the local architectural community and see if there is anybody there - and there isn't. This is a huge undertaking. So, significant expertise in sports facilities is important."
The city's sole source purchase policy stipulates they can occur when there is "only one supplier of a required product or service that meets the city's needs."
Exemptions to the competitive bidding process, are also allowed where the compatibility with existing facilities is a paramount consideration, and the purchase can only be made from a single source.
It's unclear how these measures fit the sole-source award given to PBK given that there would likely be other architectural firms with the expertise to design the rebuild of Kin 1.
Bone acknowledged he expected there might be other firms with sporting facilities expertise. But he noted that a formal competitive bid for design services would likely take about eight weeks.
Bone added that another architectural firm other than PBK would also take a significant amount of time to familiarize themselves with the project. PBK was the designer for the Multiplex, as well as the connector project with the Kin Centre. PBK was also hired to provide a comparison between the Kin 1 rebuild and a stand-alone facility spearheaded by Coun. Shari Green.
Even during those deliberations, city staff noted the project was already behind schedule. The project is targeted for completion in the fall of 2013, in order to have time to deal with any start-up issues and to hold test events prior to the 2015 Games.
"As we've identified in the rationale, timing is absolutely critical," said Bone.
However, timing is not cited in the city's purchasing policy as an allowance for a sole-source award.
COUNCILLOR 'JADED' OVER KIN COMPLEX
Green, the city councillor who spearheaded the failed push to build a new ice rink, only learned about the $1-million sole-source contract award to PBK after The Citizen raised questions with city staff. She said she was surprised, in particular, by the $1-million price tag.
"When I looked at that, I went, wow. I can't believe we didn't send that out to tender," said Green, acknowledging she didn't have the city's purchase policy at her finger tips.
Asked if she would follow up with questions to city staff, she said given her recent experience with the Kin Centre project, she said she's not sure her questions would be answered.
City council initially voted in favour of adding a new rink, then voted against the new rink after Mayor Dan Rogers used his special power to revisit the motion.
The new rink, coupled with some still-required upgrades at Kin 1, would have cost an estimated $22.2 million.
"I'm a bit jaded when it comes to the Kin complex at the moment," said Green.
Coun. Garth Frizzell, who voted against the new rink in the second go round, had also just learned Thursday the estimated $1-million contract had been awarded without going to tender.
Frizzell was reluctant to say he was comfortable with the city administration's decision as he didn't know much about it.
Frizzell did offer that the advantage of the direct award is that it's simple and quicker when time is of the essence in preparing for the Winter Games. "The disadvantages is you don't get as many of the benefits as you get from competition [bid]," he said.
Among the sole-source contracts awarded in the past, an $800,000 pine beetle tree removal program awarded to Prince George-based TDB Forestry was the largest.
Others sole-source purchases include $180,000 for a 5,000 cubic foot snow blower from Kodiak Northwest, and $20,000 to $40,000 per land application to Prince George-based Sylvis for a bio-solids residual management plan. A $60,000 computer maintenance system contract was also awarded directly to Vancouver-based ERSI.
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