Delray Beach has clarified its competitive bidding rules after the county Inspector General said the city bent its rules when it awarded its beach-cleaning contract last January.
Universal Beach Services, the city beach cleaner for 30 years, got the contract for $94,896 after arguing that low bidder Beach Raker couldn’t provide the service for $57,000.
JoAnn Peart, owner of Universal Beach, also accused the city of giving Beach Raker an unfair advantage in the bidding process by allowing it to use a different method of beach cleaning that can pick up trash as small as cigarette butts and bottle caps.
When the Parks and Recreation Department warned that the super cleaner would also suck up seashells, city commissioners paid $37,896 more to keep Universal Beach on the job.
City Manager Louie Chapman said Delray Beach has complied with the Inspector General’s request to clarify the factors including price that determine who gets city contracts.
— Tim Pallesen
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