An article in the Toronto Star highlights Mayor Ford’s intervention into a bidding process for the award of a concession stand at the newly revamped Nathan Phillips Square:
Following almost three hours of sizzling debate, city council voted 22-16 Wednesday to honour a tender process that saw the Toronto-based chain win a five-year contract to operate a snack bar in the refurbished square.
Councillors overruled government management committee members who, in February, turned up their nose at Hero, saying a $51-million overhaul of the square should produce more diverse, high-end offerings.
Mayor Rob Ford made the issue a council “priority item” and told colleagues it’s vital they respect the procurement process, lest businesses decide it is not worth their time and effort to bid on city contracts.
“If people had concerns about the food, they should have identified those issues before we put out the RFP, not after,” Ford said, adding some were confusing the 407-square-foot snack bar with a sit-down restaurant that will soon be tendered.
As this story illustrates, the failure to properly plan evaluation criteria prior to posting a solicitation can lead to significant post-bid disagreements between decision makers.
