NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) — Waste Management has sued the city of Natchez over its decision to award garbage collection and disposal contracts to other companies.
The Natchez Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/TZVU5z) that the lawsuit was filed Thursday in Adams County Circuit Court. Waste Management wants a judge to throw out the contracts and reopen the bid process.
On Nov. 26, the city awarded its garbage collection contract to Waste Pro USA and a disposal contract to Riverbend Environmental Services. The two contracts will cost the city $785,250 a year.
Waste Management contends it offered the city the best price for collection and disposal at $764,730 annually.
The company alleges the city awarded contracts based on factors not contained in the bid documents. It said the city also asked for additional information not included in the advertised request for bids.
City Attorney Hyde Carby said state law allows the city to request such additional information and use that information to determine how to award the contracts.
“We can’t both be right,” he said. “Obviously, I think we’re right, or I wouldn’t have selected the course of action we selected.”
