Atlanta could again extend the tennis center management contract for United Tennis Academy, after already twice delaying the bidding process as it became another example of problems with the city procurement process.
On Tuesday, the city’s finance/executive committee voted to extend the contract on a monthly basis through August as the city works to finalize details for the request for proposals process. This would be the third extension for UTA, which has managed the city’s tennis centers for 10 years, if it’s approved by City Council on Monday.
The extension comes amid problems surrounding contracts selected by the Department of Procurement — a major focus of the multiyear federal corruption investigation.
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Delaying the bid has also worried tennis players and employees at the centers concerned about another contracting potentially raising prices.
“(UTA has) done some great things in the community at our tennis centers,” the city’s parks and recreation commissioner, John Dargle, told the city’s community development committee Tuesday. That committee also voted to approve the contract extension.
Dargle said the department is working with the city’s procurement office to set new guidelines for the proposal, which will include assessing how the contractor handles third-party agreements, reservations and public use of the facility.
“We’d like to be able to get those things back into the proposals and set standards and services for things we’d like to see,” he said.
The ongoing bid dates back to May 2018, when bids were requested but later canceled after errors were made by the bidders, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. Months later, in a rebid of the contract, Agape Tennis Academy was the recommended winner but the city’s parks and recreation department later decided it wanted to revise the scope of the work the winning bidder would do. The bid was canceled a second time.
Following the canceled bid process, UTA’s contract was extended through August 10, 2019. It was extended again last summer.
Under Georgia open-records law, pending, rejected or deferred bids or proposals are not made public until the contract is awarded, the project is terminated or abandoned, or the agency in possession of the records takes a public vote regarding the bid or proposal.
An audit conducted on Agape’s bid indicates it was worth at least $1 million. The city auditor routinely evaluates bids over $1 million. The exact dollar amount is not listed on the audit. However, the bid is described as “revenue positive,” meaning the city will make enough money off the centers to fund operations.
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