About this blog

My name is Bill Hirt and I'm a candidate to be a Representative from the 48th district in the Washington State legislature. My candidacy stems from concern the legislature is not properly overseeing the WSDOT and Sound Transit East Link light rail program. I believe East Link will be a disaster for the entire eastside. ST will spend 5-6 billion on a transportation project that will increase, not decrease cross-lake congestion, violates federal environmental laws, devastates a beautiful part of residential Bellevue, creates havoc in Bellevue's central business district, and does absolutely nothing to alleviate congestion on 1-90 and 405. The only winners with East Link are the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington and their labor unions.

This blog is an attempt to get more public awareness of these concerns. Many of the articles are from 3 years of failed efforts to persuade the Bellevue City Council, King County Council, east side legislators, media, and other organizations to stop this debacle. I have no illusions about being elected. My hope is voters from throughout the east side will read of my candidacy and visit this Web site. If they don't find them persuasive I know at least I tried.

Saturday, February 22, 2025

Sound Transit Contracts Awarded in 2024?

A Google search of Sound Transit contracts resulted in the following:

Open and Closed Contracts Awarded in Excess of $100,000 (Trailing 12 Months). Generated on: 2/3/2025 at: 8:32:20AM. Reporting Period: Trailing 12 Months.

The result was 5 pages labeled “Sound Transit Propriety and Confidential” detailing 130 contracts in excess of $100,000.  Contracts with start dates ranging from 02/22/24 to 01/29/25 and end dates from 08/31/24 to 04/30/32 were apparently agreed to by someone at Sound Transit.  The search provided the same information previously  released 1/7/2025 at 9:48:51AM.

Both raise several questions. Why were two reports classifed as “Sound Transit Propriety and Confidential” available on Google search.  Some of the bigger contracts were used to fund needed elevator improvements. The $20 million contract with KPMG had previously raised concerns as a “no-bid” contract CEO Sparrman’s former employer. 

However the desire to limit access may be due to many of those receiving the funds seemed rather “distant” from Sound Transit’s presumed goal: improving public transit. For instance “Clean and Happy” received $4,697,611.39, “Drug Free Business’, $2,634,641, and “Center for Human Capital Innovation" and "Work With Candor" each $250,000. 

Other Contracts seemed to duplicate former efforts.  For example, the Sound Transit Board funded the Transit Advisory Group (TAG) and a private consultant for advice on how to better implement transit system expansion.  Board meetings for two years included detailing response to that advice.  Yet the 2024 contracts include Eagle Hill Consultants LLC getting a $3,650,000 Award Change Order raising the LLC’s Total Award in 2024 to $5,700,000. Again, who signed the contract and what do they expect as a result? 

The bottom line is what about contracts for less than $100,000. It's also not clear how the funds were included in Sound Transits 2024 Financial Plan and Approved Budget, or their 2025 Proposed Budget and Financial Plan. Were similar “Sound Transit Propriety and Confidential” contracts awarded in previous years?

It's something the Seattle Times Traffic Lab project to “comment on how public transit money is spent” should “comment on”.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)