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Trustees approve on‑call A/E contract awards; trustee raises due‑process concerns ahead of two‑week protest window
Summary
The board authorized on‑call architecture and engineering awards after a year‑long RFP process and a roll‑call vote recorded in the transcript as 3–2 with one abstention; Trustee Ranovich described difficulty getting timely legal guidance about conflict of interest and said his firm submitted a late proposal based on that uncertainty. Staff described a two‑week debrief/appeal period for unsuccessful firms.
The Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque authorized a set of on‑call architecture and engineering contracts Tuesday after completing a year‑long request‑for‑proposals process, but one trustee raised concerns about communication and timing that could lead to a formal protest.
Administration presented the selection results and asked the board to authorize contracts; trustee Ranovich disclosed his firm submitted a proposal and sought guidance from the village about whether a conflict prevented the firm from participating. "We asked the village three times. I never got an answer," Ranovich said, describing that he ultimately hired outside counsel and was told the firm could apply, but the response came so close to the submittal deadline his firm had to assemble a proposal quickly.
Village staff explained the formal process and said any disappointed bidder has two weeks after the awards are approved to request a debrief and file a protest. "If these contracts are approved, then any contractor has two weeks to appeal the decision," the village procurement officer said during the discussion.
Trustees discussed whether to approve awards immediately or delay to avoid discouraging debriefs. Counsel and staff urged the board that approving the awards is the normal step so the appeal window can open and a disappointed bidder can use the prescribed debriefing and protest process; if an appeal were upheld later, staff said the village would reevaluate selections and proceed through the selection steps again with all bidders on equal footing.
After discussion the board voted in favor of the awards. The transcript records the vote as "3–2, 1 abstain" and the mayor announced the motion carried. Administration said debriefs and any appeals will be handled according to the procurement code and that debriefing should be available during the two‑week protest window.
No contract documents or award amounts were discussed in detail at the meeting. Trustees and staff said they will provide debriefings to unsuccessful offerors and handle any formal protests in accordance with the village procurement code.
