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Commissioners pause decision on school generator RFQ after scoring irregularities
Summary
A state/federal generator grant RFQ and committee ranking drew scrutiny for missing references, inconsistent scoring and lack of scope; board agreed to table the award and place the item on the agenda in two weeks with staff (Tim Allen) present.
Union County commissioners on Oct. 6 delayed action on a generator upgrade procurement tied to a federal/state grant after extensive discussion about the solicitation, evaluator score sheets and schedule risk.
Staff presented a committee ranking that placed Shine and Company first and Zabat Power second among six RFQ respondents; several larger firms (Ring Power, Jenkins Electric, Miller Electric and KBT) were ranked lower. Commissioners raised specific concerns about inconsistent scoring, missing reference letters or contact information in some packets, and the RFQ’s lack of a clear scope of work. Committee member Mikayla said the scoring did not necessarily reflect practical qualification; several commissioners said they wanted Tim Allen, who oversaw the procurement, to be present to answer questions.
Why it matters: The project is funded by a federal grant (money passed through the state) with a limited window for expenditure and long lead times for critical equipment. Staff warned that re‑running procurement or rejecting all submissions could jeopardize the grant timetable.
Board action: Rather than award a contract tonight, commissioners agreed to place the RFQ on the agenda for the meeting in two weeks and requested a full package of submissions and the committee’s scoring rubric for review. No award or contract was made at this meeting.
Representative quote: Committee member Mikayla said, “Do I feel like those numbers necessarily reflect if the company is qualified? No.”
