Council debate sharpens over design‑build and risk of 'pigeonholing' contractors under PQL plan

Councilman Wallace criticized the PQL/MSA proposal as written, saying it could "pigeonhole" the city and incentivize noncompetitive practices. "So when we try to eliminate design build ... we actually ... kill our own selves and shoot ourselves in the foot," Wallace said, arguing that sealed competitive bids and 'lowest responsible bidder' rules protect taxpayers.

Commissioner Nolovich replied that the MSA and task‑order model would not be a blanket authorization and would include guardrails: "No implied agency ... Authority exists only where expressed delegated." He and other council members discussed options such as mini‑bids for specific tasks, Project Labor Agreements for very large projects, and limits (one‑ or two‑year renewal) on PQL listings to prevent perpetual exclusion of vendors. Council asked for revised contract language and additional meetings between the commissioner, legal counsel and Wallace before further action.