Opinion ID: 2552490
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Abuse of Discretion / Arbitrary and Capricious Action

Text: [¶ 27] Whitlock also claims the JPB abused its discretion and acted arbitrarily and capriciously in rescinding the award to Whitlock and awarding the project to Larry's, Inc. We have said that the JPB acted reasonably in attempting to secure the concurrence of the funding agencies. Despite those efforts, the funding agencies apparently were not persuaded that sufficient justification existed to depart from the established practice of awarding contracts to the lowest bidder, and they withheld their concurrence. Thereafter, the JPB had two choices: stick with the award to Whitlock and risk losing federal and state funding or rescind the award to Whitlock and award the contract to the lowest bidder. Under these circumstances, we do not find an abuse of discretion or that the JPB's actions were arbitrary and capricious.