Out of more than 80 engineering firms that looked at the specifications to be Denton County’s transportation consultant, only one firm applied for the job.

That firm is the same one that has held the contract for the last 12 years, John Polster’s Innovative Transportation Solutions Inc.

At the suggestion of Precinct 1 Commissioner Hugh Coleman, county officials reviewed the specifications for the job, crafted new specifications and sent them out to engineering firms to try and garner bids on the position.

“I think it was a good effort to have the process bid out. I am extremely disappointed we only had one bidder,” Coleman said. “It was obviously a result of bid specs done by some parties to limit the amount of bidders. The fears and concerns I expressed came to fruition because of the lack of bidders.”

County Judge Mary Horn, a staunch supporter of Polster’s firm, saw no issue with the result of the process and ending up with the same firm that presently holds the contract.

“I’m satisfied with it because the [request for qualifications] specifically stated the job we expect to be done and want to be done,” she said. “Others had an opportunity to take a look and decide if they wanted to bid on it and what they wanted to do.”

Horn and Coleman butted heads during this process. Coleman said the contract, which cost the county about $30,000 a month, needed to be reviewed and offered out to bidders to get the best price for the services.

So, Coleman asked Beth Fleming, in the purchasing department, to draw up specifications for the position to present to the court.

Horn agreed with the idea of reviewing the contract but chastised Coleman on the way he brought up the issue.

She worked with Fleming and drafted an alternate proposal. After much discussion and input from the rest of the court, a new request for qualifications went out to engineers July 21 when it was approved by the court. The bids were to be received by Aug. 17.

Polster’s proposal did not include a price. After the selection committee determines the best firm, the county would negotiate a price with that firm, county officials said.

Polster acknowledged the number of firms that looked at the specs for the position and said the qualifications and scope didn’t mesh with what most civil engineering firms can do.

One of Coleman’s requests was that the firm be a licensed professional civil engineering firm, Polster said.

“There are two firms in the region I would consider my direct competition, but they were not civil engineering firms,” he said. “In reality, there aren’t many firms in the state of Texas who do what I provide.”

Polster said many of the firms that looked at the consultant specifications bowed out when they found out he was submitting something for the position because their firms did not have what ITS has.

At least one engineering firm said the longevity of Polster holding the consultant contract kept some firms from submitting their qualifications.

“I think most firms have been maybe discouraged because of the way the contracts have been awarded in Denton County. There doesn’t seem to be a competitive process,” said Ronnie Smith with Dikita Enterprises. “When you look at the history Polster has had in having that contract, most of us felt the county was going through the motions to reassign it to [Polster].”

Smith said the county should send the contract back out for bid again to attract more firms. If the contract goes out to engineering firms again, he said he’d strongly consider putting a team together to work on a proposal. But because Smith recently joined the county transportation committee, he said he’d have to first check to see if there would be a conflict of interest.

Horn disagreed with Smith, saying there “are multiple firms that are qualified to perform the duties of this contract. What work those firms choose to do or not do is their decision.”

The selection committee must now decide if ITS is qualified or if it must recommend sending out another request for qualifications with a different scope, Polster said.

“I still want to do the work for them and consider myself vested in the success of Denton County,” he said. “The committee has to make a determination. I am sure they will make the right one. ITS stands ready to respond and provide whatever is requested.”

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is blewis@dentonrc.com.