Was bids' farewell sad for taxpayers?

• Author: Brown, Kathy
• Position: Tar Heel Tattler - College contract system

In August, days before students were to report, N.C. Central University closed two of its newest dormitories. The culprit was a potentially toxic mold, also identified in 12 older buildings across campus. Estimated cost to remove it: $10.4 million.

The initial debate seemed simple: Was architect Harvey Gantt responsible for the problems with the two four-year-old dorms or did he get a bum rap? But bigger questions might have been lost in the shuffle. Namely, is there a flaw in the system under which Gantt Huberman Architects landed $1 million in NCCU contracts? And as the state plows $3.1 billion in bond money, approved in November 2000, into construction and renovation of public universities and colleges, is it going to bite officials again?

Gantt, a former Charlotte mayor and two-time Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, says his firm is not responsible for the mold problem. But the controversy focuses attention on a little-noticed provision of state law. Gantt Huberman did not have to bid on the $14 million dormitory project. The rule applies to any state-funded project. Engineers and architects are selected "on the basis of their demonstrated competencies and qualifications without regard to fee," says Speros...