President Louis Caldera said Friday that companies that donate to the Lobo Club will not be given preference in University business.
The Lobo Club is UNM's athletics fund-raising organization.
A request for proposals for the Pit's expansion project was sent out Sept. 24 and included a provision stating 20 percent of the 100-point scale will be designated preference to companies that contribute to the Lobo Club.
The categories include qualifications, amount of work done in the state, experience with similar projects and overall technical capability.
But the provision was one neither Caldera nor David Harris, executive vice president for administration, had heard of or approved.
"It is inappropriate to tie contributions to the University to procurement awards," Caldera said in a news release. "We want people to contribute to the University because they believe in our mission, not in order to get a preference for contracting or any other University business. We greatly appreciate the scholarship support Lobo Club members provide our student athletes, but contributing to the Lobo Club or any other University scholarship will never be a prerequisite for competing for University business."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The Pit expansion will include coaches' offices, a practice gym for men and women and locker rooms. The $3.4 million contract gives $3.1 million to the contractor and about $290,000 to the architect.
"It's a good system in that the builder can provide input from the beginning as to what will work and the costs," said Dennis Roberts, director of industry relations at the Associated General Contractors of New Mexico.
Bruce Cherrin, UNM purchasing director, said the point system will be re-evaluated toward the end of this week.
"I would imagine we are going to spread it out among the other categories," he said. "It was not worded the best way, and it could be improved."
The issue will be addressed by Harris and acting University counsel Robert Bienstock, according to the news release. Roberts commended Caldera's decision Friday.
He said his association encourages methods in which public owners such as the University can select contractors based on qualifications, experience and good safety records.
The association's membership includes general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers who do about half of all commercial and institutional building in the city each year.
"We hope they make the point value system reflect a contractors' qualifications to do jobs of the nature described," Roberts said.
The request for proposals is being used in place of a low-bid contract. Susan McKinsey, UNM spokeswoman, said delays with the SUB construction prompted the University to find better ways to hire contractors.
"This is happening more and more around the country in public procurement to assure that the owner has a qualified contractor on the job," Roberts said.
UNM's Board of Regents approved the expansion project in August. Funding comes from state money and private donations.
