According to a report from Bill Lueders of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, J.P. Cullen & Sons, a Janesville contractor hired by the state of Wisconsin to manage a $76.8 million renovation of Camp Randall Stadium, is coming under fire for agreeing to accept a higher bid for a new scoreboard. At issue, according to the report, is that Cullen is a listed subcontractor for Daktronics, the company it hired, and stands to make about $585,000 for the work.
The stadium scoreboard is part of a larger renovation project the Dept. of Administration hired J.P. Cullen to oversee. The contractor was also allowed to hire subcontractors.
Reportedly, under the direction of the UW-Madison athletics department, J.P. Cullen hired a Virginia-based audio-visual consulting company, Anthony James Partners (AJP), to provide advice and technical assistance. AJP strongly recommended a $2.7 million bid from a company named YESCO, but J.P. Cullen selected Daktronics, which priced the job at $3.4 million.
The stadium project is being funded entirely through the UW Athletics Department. Cullen will be paid a reported $61.4 million.
J.P. Cullen claims its contract with the state does not require it to pick the lowest bid, and said its project team determined Daktronics had the better product. It has referred questions to the Wisconsin Dept. of Administration.
Meanwhile, Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, is asking the state and the UW to review the process and determine whether the jobs should be rebid.
