Atlanta City Council revisits airport shuttle contract; Who should get the bid?

ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council has decided to take another look at an airport shuttle contract that has been awarded to a New York-based company with an Atlanta-based partner.

The decision comes as a longtime local vendor contests the city's decision to award the shuttle contract to a larger competitor.

Several citizens spoke out during public comment Monday night questioning why the city awarded the airport shuttle contract to a large firm instead of a small business enterprise.

There was so much pushback that the matter will now go back to the transportation committee for further review.

The shuttle contract for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is up in the air as the City Council agrees to revisit who should take it over.

Longtime Atlanta-based contractor Darrell Anderson, who is owner of A-National Limousine, protested the city's decision to award airport shuttle service between the international and domestic terminals to ABM- All N One Security Services.

Anderson and others say New York-based ABM is a publicly traded company with $7.8 Billion in annual revenue and does not qualify as a Small Business Enterprise.

"In this case, the winning proponent is not certified as an SPE, so why were they awarded something if they are not SBE as required?" Anderson complained.

"The culture right now is antagonistic, obstructive, and it appears there is a desire to move to someone other than Mr. Anderson for reasons we do not know," consultant Vic Bolton told the Council.

City leaders say several travelers complained about extended wait times for shuttle service, but Anderson who has had the contract for six years and is a family friend to former Mayor Kasim Reed has cried foul.

The council went into executive session to discuss the matter and ultimately voted it back to committee.

Anderson and his supporters claim the lucrative contract which will garner millions has been rebid multiple times and does not appear to be following the city's own rules.

"There is game playing going on. At best, it's incompetence. At worst case, its nefarious – an attempt to remove a respected longtime vendor," Bolton commented.

ABM released a statement that reads in part, "As one of the nations leading providers of facility infrastructure and transportation solutions serving more than 75 airports, ABM, together with our joint venture partner Atlanta based all in one security services, is honored to be considered for this engagement which would expand our partnership with the city of Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport."

The issue will be revisited Monday at the transportation committee meeting.