Perhaps the University should choose contractors the way it chooses students. Awarding contracts on the sole basis of price is akin to admitting students based only on their SAT scores. There are many qualifications a company should meet. Officials should examine its track record for quality, timeliness and labor practices. The bidding process itself can also be questioned.
Nothing holds a contractor to do the job for the originally estimated price.
Choosing the lowest price tag does not mean the University will pay less. Furthermore, bids are often very close to each other. Clearly the University would be better served to try to prevent costly future renovations and delays. In addition, the University should be more involved in the evaluation process. Administrators from Chapel Hill are more likely to realize the needs of the University than state officials.