Suffolk Development is “no longer compelled to stay silent” on the state service plaza contract controversy, the corporate stated Thursday, issuing affidavits in its protection, requests for info, and urging MassDOT to not give the contract to dropping bidder International Companions.
“As leaders in the business and civic community we should hold ourselves to a high standard and never resort to the kind of underhanded, inappropriate, and dishonest tactics Global has displayed during this process and rewarding such behavior would be a grave mistake for the Commonwealth and MassDOT,” stated Suffolk spokesperson Dan Antonellis.
Suffolk partnered with Eire-based Applegreen in a bid for a contract for the long-term lease and administration of 18 MassDOT freeway service plazas. Applegreen was awarded the bid, however after a dropping bidder, Waltham-based International Companions, alleged improper communications between the businesses and MassDOT, they withdrew from the method.
State officers haven’t but stated whether or not they are going to rebid the contract or hand it to International Companions, which had the second-place bid.
Antonellis stated Thursday he couldn’t say whether or not Suffolk could be concerned in one other bid for the undertaking, “but if the bid is reopened and a service plaza operator asks us to be involved as a construction partner, we might take a look at it.”
In September, International additionally filed a lawsuit towards MassDOT, alleging the bid course of was tainted by unlawful communications between Applegreen and its companions and state officers concerned within the course of and conflicts of curiosity.
Suffolk filed a number of affidavits from executives within the case on Wednesday, vehemently denying any improper communications between them and MassDOT officers.
Suffolk stated Thursday that they had prevented commenting “directly on the false and misleading accusations leveled against Suffolk by Global Partners” out of respect for Applegreen’s ongoing lease negotiations, however had been talking now that the corporate pulled out.
The corporate despatched a letter to Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt they stated was meant to “set the record straight and present objective evidence proving that Suffolk scrupulously complied with all legal and ethical obligations during the procurement process.”
Suffolk stated they had been engaged in communications with MassDOT on different initiatives, together with the South Station Tower undertaking and a bridge weight and upkeep concern, and members of the corporate despatched messages to MassDOT’s RFP Chair Scott Bosworth following the deaths of his father and sister.
“To now twist that story to fit a fabricated narrative, as Global Partners has repeatedly done, represents a basic lack of common decency, and serves as a troubling example of a company willing to place profits above all else, even human life,” Antonellis stated.
International’s lawsuit alleges Bosworth was “in private contact with Applegreen’s owner and lobbyists and Suffolk executives, including communications directly related to the solicitation process, evaluation, and result” throughout the course of.
The letter urges MassDOT to not reward International’s “manipulative misinformation campaign” and “act consistent with the best interest of Massachusetts taxpayers and Mass Pike travelers by reopening a new bid process for the Service Plazas Project.”
On the very least, Antonellis stated, they’re in search of for International to obtain the “same level of scrutiny that was applied to us.”
Suffolk additionally filed data requests in search of info on International’s contacts with MassDOT throughout the bid course of and on the corporate’s present administration of present service plazas. The corporate alleged points underneath International’s administration, together with upgrades to plazas, inflated gas projections, and restricted EV charging plans.
“Global’s current, on-going, and past performance certainly seems relevant to whether they, as the losing bidder in the RFP process, should now simply be handed a new contract for services along the Mass Pike that the public desperately needs and deserves,” the letter states.
International didn’t reply to a request for remark as of Thursday night.
