FORT MONMOUTH — The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) is again seeking a firm to manage the Suneagles Golf Course.
The board voted during its Aug. 21 meeting to issue a new request for proposals (RFP) to operate the golf course for an 18-month period.
The board originally awarded a contract to Atlantic Golf Management to operate the course, which is located in the Eatontown section of the fort, but retracted the award after a challenge from an unsuccessful bidder.
According to FMERA Executive Director Bruce Steadman, there will be a 10-day period during which Gov. Chris Christie could veto the resolution.
“That’ll bring us to the first or second week of September, and it will be sometime shortly after that,” he said.
Under the terms of the new RFP, the U.S. Army will continue to own the golf course and lease it to FMERA. The prospective management company will operate the course, along with food and banquet facilities.
Atlantic was first awarded a one-year contract in 2011 for the course, pro shop, restaurant and banquet hall located in Gibbs Hall. The contract included an extension option.
The RFP for the second contract went out on Jan. 11, 2013, receiving responses from two bidders — Atlantic and Meticulous Golf Management. After a review period, Atlantic was awarded the 18-month contract during the Feb. 20 FMERA meeting.
Under the contract, Atlantic agreed to pay FMERA $250,000 in monthly installments and 15 percent of all revenues in excess of $1 million.
Wayne Mauro, the attorney representing Meticulous, issued a letter on March 15 challenging the bid. The six points of contention allege that Atlantic failed to make the full 15 percent payment; failed to account for food and beverage revenues; and failed to perform required maintenance tasks. The letter stated that there were inconsistencies in the reporting of golf-outing revenues.
Also, the firm charged that FMERA failed to adhere to procurement procedures, and that the board’s actions prejudiced Meticulous.
Mauro could not be reached for this story.
Only one of the six challenge points — the lack of financial data available to prospective bidders in the request for proposals — was found to have merit by the hearing officer, who recommended that the award to Atlantic be rescinded and the selection process terminated.
Hearing Officer Donna Sullivan, who is director of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Real Estate Development Division, said that if the contract is re-bid, all bidders should be provided access to the food and beverage financial information.
Since no long-term contract was awarded, Atlantic has been operating the course on a month-to-month basis.
Oceanport resident Michael McMahon said at the meeting that the condition of the golf course has suffered as a result of the challenge.
“At the present time, there are extensive maintenance issues on the golf course — dry rot, drainage issues that needed to be redone,” he said. “Basically, this month-tomonth thing has gotten Atlantic Management’s hands tied from the standpoint of making capital improvements.”
According to Steadman, the board meets with Atlantic to discuss issues involving the course.
“They agreed to stay on and operate it month-to-month even though they had no guarantee there was no real benefit for them,” he said.
“That is why some of these maintenance items aren’t getting done that this guy mentioned, because they don’t know how long they are going to be there.”
Despite the process being restarted, the course will remain open, he said.
The meeting was held for the first time at FMERA’s new offices in the former library building in the Oceanport section of the fort.