A red light camera company embroiled in at least three bribery scandals across the United States lost a bid to contract with Orange County, whose commissioners expressed concerns over the company's compromise of core values.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that the seven commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday to select American Traffic Solutions (ATS) to expand the county's red light camera program from 10 intersections to 90 before the end of 2014. In so doing, they rejected a lower bid by Redflex Traffic Systems, which has been implicated in bribery scandals in at least two other jurisdictions.
The vote came with a caveat: ATS must meet Redflex's offer of $15.7 million, some $800,000 less than what ATS has proposed.
Staff from Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs' office confirmed to Sunshine State News that commissioners expressed concerns over Redflex's history of shady dealings, which violated the county's core values.
SSN previously reported that Redflex scored highest in early staff reviews of competing bids for the project, despite the fact that the company had recently lost its Chicago contract after a year-long (and continuing) investigation by the Chicago Tribune implicated the company in a $2 million bribery scheme involving at least one city official.
At the Tribune's instigation, Redflex conducted its own internal audit, canned some if its top executives, and is now exploring possible bribery in two other unnamed geographies that raise concern.
SSN also reported that Redflex is also seeking a contract with the city of Pensacola.
Reach Eric Giunta at egiunta@sunshinestatenews.com or at (954) 235-9116.
