FLOORING COMPANY SUES OVER STADIUM PROJECT
An attorney for OU said a new lawsuit over the stadium’s renovation project will not disrupt the 2016 football season. In the lawsuit, a terrazzo flooring company has alleged its bid for work on the university’s football stadium expansion project was denied because of a “superfluous requirement.”
An attorney for the University of Oklahoma said a new lawsuit over the stadium’s renovation project will not disrupt the 2016 football season.
“Given the subject matter of the suit — i.e. terrazzo flooring installation — there should be no interruption or delay in the stadium’s completion because this installation is not slated to take place prior to the 2016 season and will occur later in the project’s timeline,” the attorney, Anil Gollahalli, said. “Unfortunately, given the complexity of the work undertaken in large construction projects, disputes sometimes arise and need to be addressed.”
In the lawsuit, a terrazzo flooring company has alleged its bid for work on the university’s football stadium expansion project was denied because of a “superfluous requirement.”
Terrazzo USA and Associates, Inc. claims OU and the university’s construction manager, Flintco, created a monopolistic bidding process by making a membership with the National Terrazzo & Mosaic Association, Inc. a bidding requirement.
The lawsuit states the company had been awarded a contract in the past by OU even though it wasn’t part of the association.
“In other words, OU has previously recognized that membership in the NTMA is not only a dispensable requirement, it is a superfluous requirement,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit also alleges the bidding process was a sham and violated the Oklahoma Public Competitive Bidding Act.
“The purpose of the Act is to ‘obtain the best results at the lowest cost, the greatest value for the fewest dollars,’” the lawsuit states.
Terrazzo USA alleges it should have been awarded the contract for the terrazzo flooring installation of the Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium expansion and renovation project because it was the lowest responsible bidder.
The lawsuit states four companies submitted bids but only one company, Southwest Terrazzo, Inc., was a member of the terrazzo association. Southwest Terrazzo is listed as the only Oklahoma member of the association, the lawsuit states.
Gollahalli, vice president and general counsel for OU, called the filing of the lawsuit “premature, as the contract for tile installation has yet to be executed. In all events, the university and Flintco have followed appropriate processes and believe the suit to be without merit.”
The lawsuit was filed Feb. 12 in Cleveland County District Court. A Kansas steel manufacturer filed a similar lawsuit last year against OU and Flintco but later dismissed it.