Yellowknife (June 04/03) - The NWT Construction Association says MLAs are lining up against the use of negotiated contracts for government projects.

Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee says cost and benefit analysis needed.

The association said Monday seven MLAs have gone on record as "either opposed to negotiated contracts outright or agreed they should only be used judiciously."

The MLA's were responding to an NWTCA request that they take a public stand on the controversial issue.

The storm over `no-bid' contracts began last month when cabinet instructed the GNWT public works department to negotiate a contract with A.C. Contracting for a $1.2 million curling rink in Aklavik.

The GNWT hasn't yet announced if the company will be awarded the job.

The association has argued that the project should go to public tender.

NWTCA executive director Don Worrall said the association believes the government is planning the same approach with three other projects, including a $1 million sewage treatment plant in Tsiigehtchic.

Worrall said Monday the seven MLAs opposing the no-bid approach are Brendan Bell, Bill Braden, Charles Dent, Jane Groenewegen, Floyd Roland, Leon Lafferty, and Sandy Lee.

All seven were in the legislature Monday, but unavailable for comment.

In the June 2 NWTCA newsletter, the association told member firms the seven MLA's were "concerned that the net economic benefits" of negotiating contracts must be clearly established.

"That has been questionable in the past," the newsletter stated.

Sandy Lee, MLA for Frame Lake, is quoted in the association 'Bulletin' as opposing sole-source contracting without further study "that shows that there would be a benefit to capacity building and employment creation" in the communities.

In a letter to the association, Brendan Bell (Yellowknife South) said he sees an "unwillingness or inability" by government to quantify the benefits of capacity building.

"We seem to believe that if we want it bad enough, local expertise and ability will be built," wrote Bell.

"That is unlikely in my opinion."

MLA Bill Braden called for "a clear policy statement and guidelines for negotiated contracts."

NWTCA president David Tucker said the association's intention is "to open a dialogue with all of the affected parties, and see where that goes."

He said the NWTCA does not want to see the debate "characterized as aborginal versus non-aboriginal firms, or Yellowknife firms versus those in the communities.

"From our perspective it is neither of those things.

"We understand the need for capacity building and we would like to further the dialogue on how that can be done with maximum benefit and minimum harm."