District takes action against contractors

Board of Trustees moves to protect taxpayer dollars

Lorrie Reyes/ Roundup

Two major construction contractors received letters from the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) indicating that their contracts could be terminated, according to a press release issued by the LACCD Tuesday.

In the letters, FTR International (FTR) and Gateway Science and Engineering (GSE) were notified that they’ll participate in hearings later this year to determine whether they can continue their building projects across the district.

“We will aggressively move to hold contractors accountable, no matter what the consequences,” said Daniel LaVista, chancellor of the LACCD, in the release. “Our taxpayers, students, faculty and staff deserve no less.”

FTR’s letter indicated that the company could not only lose their current contract, but they could also lose the right of “bidding, contracting, subcontracting or performing any work on any District project” for five years due to “misrepresentation” and “substandard work” at Los Angeles Valley College’s Allied Heath and Science Building. They also requested payment of an incomplete job, according to the press release.