Disqualified rail bidder Bombardier Transportation sent a letter to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board to ask for a reconsideration.
The Canada-based rail car maker was disqualified because of a sentence in its proposal that the city called a condition. The city then disqualified the company, and awarded it to Italy-based Ansaldo Honolulu.
Bombardier said it is extending the validity of its proposal to Oct. 31, and that it didn’t get a fair chance in presenting evidence before a state hearings officer, who dismissed the company’s appeal in July.
Meanwhile Bombardier is suing the city and state for what it believes was a wrongful disqualification of its bid. The other losing contractor, Sumitomo Corp. of America, has opted not to sue, but also extended the validity of its bid through Sept. 22.