Liberals defend handling of N.B. bridge contract

The Department of Transportation is again defending how it handled a contract for renovations to Fredericton's Princess Margaret Bridge.

A Quebec-based consortium a joint venture between Frank Catania Construction and Structal-Bridges told CBC News last week that it was unfairly disqualified in the bidding even though its bid was the lowest and was unconditional.

Progressive Conservative MLA Claude Williams demanded Wednesday that Transportation Minister Denis Landry explain why the provincial government did not go with the company that submitted the lowest bid.

Landry said in question period that the consortium was disqualified because it did not meet the demands of the proposal process.

Fred Blaney, a government official overseeing the bridge project, said in an interview that the Quebec consortium did include several conditions in its bid, something the government's request for proposals did not permit.

"We relied on the wording in their proposal. In two or three places, they used the word `our bid is based on.' To me that's fairly clear that the bid was based on the following conditions," Blaney said.

Among the conditions that Blaney said were in the companys bid is that it needed a $14 million loan to help them with their financing and changes to some dates on the payment schedule.

Last week the Quebec consortium told CBC News it would provide documents showing its bid was unconditional. But the next day the company's lawyers said it was still reviewing New Brunswick's tendering rules and it could not provide them right away.

The provincial government has awarded the contract to renovate the Princess Margaret Bridge in Fredericton to the Brun-Way Group for $78 million. However, the consortium claims its bid for the Phase 2 renovation project was $5 million less.

Tories question lawyer

Williams asked why Britt Dysart, the president of the New Brunswick Liberal party, was working as the government's lawyer in the bidding process.

"I am concerned, as New Brunswickers should be, because there were no lawyers from the Department of Justice at that meeting. That is strange," Williams said in question period.

"That raises a serious question."

Landry never explained what Dysart was doing at the meeting during question period.

However, the transportation department official said Dysarts law firm, Stewart McKelvey,has done work for the department since 2000 and the firm chose him to work on this project.