On the heels of my Monday op/ed comes this news on the Victoria sewage plant in the Times Colonist:

Politicians on Greater Victoria’s sewage committee will hastily reconvene Wednesday to try to make up lost time on a project that’s already drifting at least two months behind schedule.

The first item on the agenda will be a $711,300 “procurement adviser” contract with Partnerships B.C. to help prepare bid documents and contracts for companies that want to build parts of the $783-million sewage treatment system.

The Capital Regional District sewage committee, which has been preoccupied with attempts to suspend and review the project in recent months, has yet to debate or approve a deal with Partnerships B.C.

However, the company’s schedule for the sewage treatment project shows it had hoped to start work on certain documents in November.

That’s almost three-quarters of a million dollars being paid out on a contract that wasn’t put out to tender. Kudos to Saanich councillor Vic Derman for pointing that out:

Derman said he’s concerned about moving too quickly. He said he’s not sure a proper competition was held for the Partnerships B.C. contract.

“Have we gone out and had a competition for this? I’m sure there are lots of private companies who have expertise who would like to manage it.”

Some of the costs outlined by Partnerships B.C. are also worrisome, he said.

The government agency lists an hourly billing rate of $400 for its president, $325 for vice-presidents and $300 for assistant vice-presidents.

“I look at it and say that’s a lot of money,” Derman said. “Now, is that the going rate? I don’t know. I’m going to have to find out.”

This is taxpayers’ money from all three levels, being spent on a project we’re not even sure is necessary. It would be nice if we could take a moment and determine if its $783 million well-spent before rushing into sole-source management deals.