The Atlanta City Council on Nov. 17 voted to file (send back for further review) a disputed Hartsfield–Jackson Airport curbside-management procurement after members and public commenters raised procedural concerns.

Public commenters including Kevin Ross and Daryl Anderson described apparent irregularities in how multiple bidders were marked nonresponsive in the procurement process and questioned whether blackout and anti-lobbying rules were being applied consistently. Ross said six proponents submitted for a contract he described as a $10 million-per-year curbside-management contract at the airport; early evaluations found four nonresponsive and an IPRO review said a fifth should have been nonresponsive, leaving one responsive proponent. He urged the full council to follow the Transportation Committee members who voted to file, arguing the blackout provision was being used “nonsensically.”

City Attorney Amber Robinson explained the blackout prohibition on vendor communications and said the rule prevents offerors (or their representatives) from contacting council members but does not bar council members from discussing committee items. Robinson said violations of anti-lobbying provisions risk disqualification of an offeror.

After debate, the council voted to file the resolution tied to the curbside contract. The recorded vote on the motion to file was 8 yays, 6 nays, and the Transportation Committee’s recommendation to file carried. Several council members said the vote was necessary to preserve oversight and to protect small businesses from procurement mistakes.

The filing returns the procurement for further review; the council did not approve the contract on Nov. 17.