text:
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company
B-292476: Oct 1, 2003
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Kenneth E. Patton
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Southwestern Bell Telephone Company protests the award of a contract to Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc. under request for proposals (RFP) No. F34608-03-R-5012, issued by the Department of the Air Force for commercial communication services at McConnell Air Force Base (AFB), Kansas. Southwestern Bell challenges the agency's past performance evaluation and its affirmative determination of Adelphia's responsibility. In addition, Southwestern Bell asserts that Adelphia is ineligible for award because it falsely certified that none of its principals had been indicted.
We sustain the protest.
B-292476, Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, October 1, 2003
The decision issued on the date below was subject to a GAO Protective Order. This redacted version has been approved for public release.
Matter of: Southwestern Bell Telephone Company
File: B-292476
Date: October 1, 2003
James J. Regan, Esq., Daniel R. Forman, Esq., and J. Catherine Kunz, Esq., Crowell & Moring, for the protester.
James L. Feldesman, Esq., and Kathy S. Ghiladi, Esq., Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell, and Brian T. Fitzgerald, Esq., LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, for Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc., an intervenor.
Clarence D. Long, III, Esq., and Donald Mosely, Esq., Department of the Air Force, for the agency.
Guy R. Pietrovito, Esq., and James A. Spangenberg, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision.
1. Protest challenging agencys evaluation of the protesters and awardees past performance, which found the two firms had essentially equal past performance, is sustained, where the agency did not consider awardees record of integrity and business ethics, as required by the solicitation, and the record raises serious concerns that awardee may have problems in this area, and where agency did not document its assessment of protesters past performance, despite the fact that solicitation provided for qualitative assessment of offerors past performance.
2. Contracting officers affirmative determination of the awardees responsibility is not reasonably based where, despite having general awareness of misconduct by some of awardees principals and parent company, the contracting officer did not obtain sufficient information about or consider the awardees record of integrity and business ethics in making his responsibility determination.
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company protests the award of a contract to Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc. under request for proposals (RFP) No. F34608-03-R-5012, issued by the Department of the Air Force for commercial communication services at McConnell Air Force Base (AFB), Kansas. Southwestern Bell challenges the agencys past performance evaluation and its affirmative determination of Adelphias responsibility.In addition, Southwestern Bell asserts that Adelphia is ineligible for award because it falsely certified that none of its principals had been indicted.
We sustain the protest.
The RFP, issued December 12, 2002, provided for the award of a fixed-price contract for local voice and data communication services for McConnell AFB for a period not to exceed 5 years. Detailed proposal preparation instructions were provided, which required, among other things, that offerors submit their proposals in three volumes: (1) technical, (2) past performance, and (3) price and contracting information. With respect to the past performance volume, offerors were required to provide detailed information concerning relevant contracts performed within the last 5 years.
The RFP provided that proposals would be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria: technical, past performance, and price. Offerors were informed that, under the technical evaluation criterion, proposals would be evaluated on a pass/fail basis, that is:
A decision on the technical acceptability of each offerors technical proposal shall be made. Only those offers determined to be technically acceptable, either initially or as a result of discussions, will be considered for award.
Technically acceptable proposals would then be evaluated under the past performance and price criteria. The RFP stated that the agency would use the performance-price trade-off basis for award and that past performance and price were equally weighted. RFP at 20.
The RFP stated that in evaluating past performance risk the agency would use data from a variety of sources, including the offerors proposals and other government and commercial sources.[2] Offerors were also informed that the agency would place strong emphasis on the offerors record of past performance of jobs of comparable complexity and similar technical requirements, and that the offerors organization itself would be evaluated with respect to, among other things, [its] [r]ecord of integrity and business ethics. RFP at 21.
The RFP also included the Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension or Ineligibility for Award, as required by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 9.409(a). The certification included in the RFP required the offeror to identify in its certification whether to the best of its knowledge and belief, . . . the offeror and/or any of its principals had been debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment or declared ineligible for award, or had been within a 3-year period prior to the date of its offer convicted of various crimes or had certain civil judgments against it, or was presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly charged, with the commission of certain identified offenses. RFP K at 6.
The Air Force received proposals from Southwestern Bell and Adelphia in response to the RFP. After discussions were conducted, both offerors were determined to be technically acceptable by the agencys technical proposal evaluation team (TPET). Adelphias evaluated 5-year price was $318,437.70 and Southwestern Bells evaluated price was $[Deleted]. Agency Report, Tab 15m, Price Competition Memorandum, at 1.
The agency evaluated the firms past performance, relying upon the offerors past performance proposal volumes, survey input from previous customers, and the agencys own knowledge of the contractors performance on other government contractors. Both offerors were evaluated as very good under the past performance criterion. Agency Report, Tab 9, Past Performance Assessment, at 2. Adelphias rating was based upon the agencys judgment that Adelphia had very good performance under three identified contracts[3] and the pre-award survey recommendation of full award from the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).[4] Id. at 1. With respect to Southwestern Bells past performance rating, the agency stated only:
[Southwestern Bell] was the only other company that submitted a bid. However, [Southwestern Bells] proposal was $[Deleted] higher. [Southwestern Bell] has several dozen contracts with this office, and their past performance is well documented within this office.
Id. at 2.
The contracting officer concluded:
Since both [Adelphias and Southwestern Bells] proposals were found to be technically acceptable, and since each Offeror received the same past performance rating (very good), the discriminating factor would be, in accordance with the evaluation criteria specified in the acquisition, the lowest evaluated price. Since [Adelphia] had the lowest evaluated price, they were determined to represent the greatest value, and consequently, [Adelphia] was awarded the contract.
Contracting Officers Statement at 4. This protest followed.
Southwestern Bell challenges the Air Forces evaluation of its and Adelphias past performance, complaining that the agencys determination that the two firms past performance ratings were equivalent is not rationally supported in the record.
In reviewing protests of alleged improper evaluations and source selection decisions, our Office examines the record to determine only whether the agencys judgment was reasonable and in accord with the stated evaluation criteria and applicable procurement law. Abt Assocs., Inc., B-237060.2, Feb. 26, 1990, 90-1 CPD 223 at 4. Generally, the evaluation of an offerors past performance is a matter within the discretion of the contracting agency, and we will not substitute our judgment for reasonably based past performance ratings. However, we will question such conclusions where they are not reasonably based, inconsistent with the solicitation criteria and/or are undocumented. Sonetronics, Inc., B- 289459.2, Mar. 18, 2002, 2002 CPD 48 at 3.
With respect to Adelphias past performance evaluation, Southwestern Bell states that the agency did not evaluate Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics, as required by the RFP. Southwestern Bell asserts that this failure is significant because Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics is unacceptable. In this regard, Southwestern Bell notes that three members of the Rigas family, who are currently majority shareholders of the awardees former parent corporation, Adelphia Communications Corporation, and that corporation itself have been charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with violating various provisions of federal securities laws. Quoting the SECs complaint for, among other things, injunctive and monetary relief against awardees parent company and members of the Rigas family, Southwestern Bell notes that the principals of the awardee stand accused by the government of committing the most extensive financial fraud ever to take place at a public company. See <www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/complr17627.htm>. Subsequently, five individuals (including three Rigas family members) were criminally indicted by a federal grand jury, each on 16 counts of securities fraud, 5 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of bank fraud, and 1 count of conspiracy. Although Adelphia Business Solutions, of which the awardee is apparently an affiliate, was spun off from Adelphia Communications Corporation in early 2002, the protester states that a majority of the shares of Adelphia Business Solutions stock were transferred to members of the Rigas family and to entities controlled by the Rigas family.[5]
The record shows that the Air Force did not evaluate Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics as part of its past performance evaluation, as was specifically required by the RFP. The Air Force does not assert that it performed such an evaluation, but merely argues that its very good rating of Adephias past performance was justified, given the information provided and reviewed. The record shows that the Air Force assessed Adelphias past performance as very good based only upon the survey responses it received from the three contract sources identified by Adelphia in its proposal and the DCMA pre-award survey. See Agency Report, Tab 9, Past Performance Assessment, at 1; Contracting Officers Statement at 3. The past performance surveys, however, did not seek or receive any information concerning Adelphias record of integrity or ethics. [6] Furthermore, as asserted by the protester, Adelphia performed these three referenced contracts while the indicted members of the Rigas family had significant ownership interest and control in the awardee and its parent companies. Given the specific RFP language, the charges brought by the SEC and the indictment of the Rigas family members should have been (but were not) evaluated as relevant information in the agencys assessment of Adelphias past performance. In short, because the agencys past performance evaluation was not in accord with the stated RFP criteria, we find the agencys evaluation of Adelphias past performance to be inconsistent with the RFP evaluation scheme and unreasonable. See Beneco Enters., Inc., B- 283512.3, July 10, 2000, 2000 CPD 176 at 7.
We also find no basis in the record to find reasonable the Air Forces evaluation of Southwestern Bells past performance. As indicated above, the agencys entire explanation of its evaluation rating of the protesters past performance was that Southwestern Bell had a dozen contracts with the Air Forces procuring office, that these contracts were well documented, and that the protesters evaluated price was higher than that of the awardee. Agency Report, Tab 9, Past Performance Assessment, at 2. Despite the agencys statement that Southwestern Bells performance of contracts with its office were well documented, no documentation or explanation of that performance has been provided to support the agencys evaluation rating, which was equal to Adelphias rating. In fact, despite the protesters specific complaint of the paucity of the Air Forces explanation, the agency has provided no further information of any kind in support of its evaluation assessment. We find this inexplicable, given that the RFP provided for a qualitative assessment of the offerors past performance and for an integrated assessment of the merits of the offerors respective assessments and their evaluated price to determine the greatest value. See RFP at 20.
Thus, the agencys judgment that Adelphias slightly lower price reflected the best value to the government lacks a reasonable basis. As noted above, the RFP provided for a tradeoff between the offerors qualitative past performance rankings and their respective evaluated price. The Air Force concluded here that the two firms very good past performance rankings reflected essentially equal merit and therefore price became the discriminating factor. However, because the agency did not reasonably evaluate the firms past performance in accordance with the RFP criteria, the agency did not have a reasonable basis for its conclusion that the firms were essentially equal under this factor, so as to justify an award based solely on price. In fact, the comment regarding the protesters higher price in the past performance evaluation suggests that the agency did not qualitatively evaluate the offerors past performance, as required by the RFPs evaluation scheme, but improperly converted the procurement to one based upon low price and the submission of a technically acceptable proposal by an offeror with acceptable past performance. See Dewberry & Davis, B'247116, May 5, 1992, 92-1 CPD 421 at 5.
Under a reasonable evaluation of past performance, Southwestern Bells past performance rating might have been found to be superior to Adelphias, such that the Air Force would be required to conduct a tradeoff analysis to determine whether in fact Adelphias slightly lower price represented the best value to the government. Accordingly, we agree with Southwestern Bell that the Air Forces award selection is not consistent with the RFP evaluation and is unreasonable. See Trijicon, Inc, B'244546.3, June 22, 1992, 92-1 CPD 537 at 11.
Southwestern Bell also challenges the contracting officers affirmative determination of Adelphias responsibility. Simply stated, the protester argues that the agency failed to consider evidence about Adelphias integrity and business ethics in making its responsibility determination as is required by FAR 9.104-1(d).
As an initial matter, the Air Force argued that this aspect of Southwestern Bells protest should have been dismissed because the contracting officer allegedly had sufficient information upon which to find that Adelphia was responsible because the contracting officer was aware of the indictments of the principals of the awardees parent company.
Because the determination that an offeror is capable of performing a contract is largely committed to the contracting officers discretion, our Office will generally not consider a protest challenging an affirmative determination of responsibility except under limited, specified exceptions. 4 C.F.R. 21.5(c) (2003); Verestar Govt Servs. Group, B-291854, B-291854.2, Apr. 3, 2003, 2003 CPD 68 at 3. One specific exception provided in the revised Bid Protest Regulations is that our Office will consider a protest that identifies serious concerns that a contracting officer in making an affirmative determination of responsibility failed to consider available relevant information or otherwise violated statute or regulation. 4 C.F.R. 21.5(c). As explained in the preamble to our revised regulations, the revision to our regulations was
intended to encompass protests, where, for example, the protest includes specific evidence that the contracting officer may have ignored information that, by its nature, would be expected to have a strong bearing on whether the awardee should be found responsible.
67 Fed. Reg. 79,833-834 (2002).
We did not dismiss Southwestern Bells protest because on its face it fell within this exception, inasmuch as this well-documented, detailed protest raised serious concerns that the contracting officer failed to consider relevant information bearing on Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics, such that, if the allegations were true, it could not be said that the agencys affirmative determination of responsibility was reasonably based. The agencys dismissal request in response to the protest did not show that the agency gave any consideration to Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics in making its responsibility determination.[7]
Contracts may only be awarded to responsible prospective contractors. FAR 9.103(a). In making the responsibility determination, the contracting officer must determine, among other things, that the contractor has a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics. FAR 9.104-1(d). In the absence of information clearly indicating that the prospective contractor is responsible, the contracting officer shall make a determination of nonresponsibility. FAR 9.103(b). Although the contracting officer is not required to explain the basis for his or her responsibility determination, [d]ocuments and reports supporting a determination of responsibility or nonresponsibility . . . must be included in the contract file. FAR 9.105-2(b).
The contracting officer, in his statement in response to the protest, states:
Because of the notoriety associated with Adelphia and its founders, [he] added various notes to block 23 (Remarks) of the SF-1403, Pre'Award Survey of Prospective Contractor, putting the DCMA Pre'Award Survey Monitor (PASM) on notice of the fact that [Adelphias] parent company . . . had allegedly filed for bankruptcy protection, had allegedly been charged with fraud by the [SEC], was allegedly being audited by the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and that the Adelphia CEO had been indicted for alleged conspiracy and fraud by the US Attorney for Southern New York.
Contracting Officers Statement at 2.
As noted above, DCMA performed a pre-award audit of Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc. and recommended a complete award. Agency Report, Tab 14, Pre-Award Survey of Adelphia, at 2. However, the pre-award survey did not comment upon Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics, or discuss in any way the indictments of members of the Rigas family or the charges brought by the SEC against Rigas family members and the parent company, Adelphia Communications Corporation. Nor has there been any information provided from or on behalf of DCMA that shows that DCMA considered the awardees record of integrity and business ethics, as requested by the contracting officer. Based upon this record, there is no basis to conclude that DCMA reviewed the awardees integrity and business ethics prior to recommending award.
In reply to the protesters comments detailing the problems relating to Adelphias integrity and business ethics and his responsibility determination, the contracting officer contends that he was aware of Adelphias alleged improprieties through various media outlets and the Internet. Contracting Officers Affadavit at 2. It was apparently based upon his awareness of allegations against Adelphia that the contracting officer requested the pre-award survey, which, as noted above, did not address Adelphias integrity and business ethics.[8] The contracting officer also asserts that he spoke to two other government officials who apparently provided no negative performance information about Adelphia, although their agencies did substantial business with them.[9]
The extent to which the contracting officer was aware of the allegations against Adelphias principals and parent company is neither documented in the record nor explained by the agency. Nevertheless, we believe that the contracting officers general recognition that there were allegations of misconduct concerning Adelphia is not alone sufficient to establish that the contracting officer reasonably assessed the awardees record of integrity and business ethics. In fact, the contracting officers statements in response to the protesters comments suggest that he may not have known relevant facts concerning Adelphias integrity and business ethics. That is, the contracting officer appears to argue that members of the Rigas family could not have any influence over Adelphia because these family members had resigned their positions as corporate officers and that their status as stockholders was and is basically irrelevant.[10] Contracting Officers Affidavit at 2. However, significant evidence has been presented by the protester to show that Rigas family members continued (and continue today) to own a controlling interest in Adelphia due to their majority ownership of class B (voting interest) stock. Moreover, the record supports the protesters assertion that some amount of debtor-in-possession financing has been provided to the awardee by Adephia Communications Corporation, the entity charged by the SEC with fraudulent conduct. Despite the apparent relevance of the potential control and influence of these Rigas family members and of Adelphia Communications Corporation, the record establishes that the contracting officer did not consider the extent of the Rigas family members stock ownership in Adelphia, and what influence or control over the awardee this ownership interest accorded them. Also, the record indicates that the contracting officer did not consider, nor was he apparently aware of, the relationship between the awardee and Adelphia Business Solutions (doing business as TelCove).[11]
Based upon this record, we find that the contracting officer simply assumed that Adelphia had an adequate record of integrity and business ethics. This assumption appears to have been based upon the award recommendation of the pre-award survey, which did not address in any way Adelphias integrity or business ethics. In any event, the record does not establish that the contracting officer obtained sufficient information to decide, or for that matter even considered, Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics. In the absence of any consideration of the involvement, control or influence of the indicted Rigas family members and Adelphia Communications Corporation in the awardee, the contracting officers statements of general awareness of alleged misconduct on the part of the Rigas family members and Adelphia Communications Corporation is not sufficient to show that the contracting officers affirmative determination of responsibility is reasonable. Compare Impresa Construzioni Geom. Domenico Garufi v. United States, 52 Fed. Cl. 421, 428 (2002) (agency failed to reasonably consider questions concerning an awardees integrity and business ethics) with Verestar Govt Servs. Group, supra (agency specifically and reasonably considered questions concerning the awardees integrity and business ethics in making its responsibility determination).
Southwestern Bell also protests that Adelphia falsely certified that none of its principals had been indicted within the 3 prior years. The protester argues that, because of this misrepresentation, Adelphia should be found ineligible to receive award. The Air Force denies that any misrepresentation occurred.
However, as admitted by the intervenor, Adelphia submitted a mistaken certificate that did not indicate that some of its shareholders had been indicted. See Intervenors Reply to Protesters Comments, Aug. 20, 2003, at 5. That is, although Adelphia certified that none of its principals had been indicted within the identified time period, in fact three members of the Rigas family had been indicted. The term principals is defined to include officers, directors, owners, partners, and persons having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity. See FAR 52.209-5. Given that these stockholders owned the majority of the stock, Adelphia does not dispute that the indicted Rigas family members are owners and therefore principals whose indictments should have been disclosed.
In Universal Techs. Inc.; Spacecraft, Inc., B-248808.2 et al., Sept. 28, 1992, 92-2 CPD 212 at 13, we noted that where an offeror has made an intentional misrepresentation that materially influenced the agencys consideration of its proposal, a proposal should be disqualified and a contract award based upon the proposal canceled. In Universal, we found that an offerors inaccurate completion of the same certificate that is at issue in this case did not disqualify the offeror there because it did not appear that the false certification was made in bad faith, nor did it materially influence the agencys affirmative determination of the offerors responsibility. Id. at 15.
Here, it is not clear from the record what impact, if any, the false certification had upon the contracting officer in making his affirmative determination of Adelphias responsibility. Nor is it clear that Adelphia intentionally misrepresented whether its principals had been indicted; in this regard, Adelphia asserts that it mistakenly believed that the intent of the certificate was to restrict the identification to those principals that had primary management or supervisory responsibility. See Intervenors Reply to Protesters Comments at 5. Nevertheless, some of the contracting officers statements suggest that the false certificate may have materially influenced the contracting officer. For example, the contracting officer in response to the protesters comments states that he did not consider the Rigas family to be principals any longer and that the management of TelCove has completely changed. See Contracting Officers Affidavit at 2. These statements reflect a misreading of the definition of principals as well as confusion on the part of the contracting officer as to which Adelphia entity was making this certification. In any case, the record shows that the agency did not know of, much less consider, the inaccuracy of Adelphias certification or how this should affect that firms eligibility for award.
We recommend that the Air Force determine whether Adelphias incorrect certification renders that firm ineligible for award. If the agency determines that Adelphia is eligible to continue to compete for award, the Air Force should re'evaluate the firms proposals in accordance with the RFPs past performance criterion, conduct further discussions (if necessary), make a new source selection decision, and, if Adelphia is selected for award, reasonably determine that firms responsibility. If Southwestern Bell is selected for award, the Air Force should terminate Adelphias contract and make award to Southwestern Bell, if otherwise appropriate. We also recommend that the protester be reimbursed the reasonable costs of filing and pursuing the protest, including attorneys fees. 4 C.F.R. 21.8(d)(1). The protesters certified claim for costs, detailing the time spent and costs incurred, must be submitted to the Air Force within 60 days of receiving this decision. 4 C.F.R. 21.8(f)(1).
The protest is sustained.
Anthony H. Gamboa
General Counsel
According to the pre-award survey, the awardee was Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc., of Wichita, Kansas, which is an affiliate or branch office of Adelphia Business Solutions (doing business as TelCove) of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Agency Report, Tab 14, Pre-Award Survey of Adelphia, at 5, 7. Adelphias proposal, however, was submitted in the name of Adelphia Business Solutions Investments, LLC. Agency Report, Tab 7, Adelphias Price and Contracting Information, DD Form 428. Adelphias technical proposal depicted in two charts that the Wichita office was the local team organization of the Adelphia Business Solutions corporation organization. Agency Report, Tab 7, Adelphias Technical Proposal, at 7-8. The proposal also identified Adelphia Business Solutions Investments LLC as the offeror and as being both located in Wichita, see, e.g., id., Adelphias Price & Contracting Information, DD Form 428, and in Canonsburg. See id., Adelphias Kansas Tariff Filing.
[2] With respect to the past performance evaluation, offerors were informed that past performance would be evaluated as either exceptional, very good, satisfactory, neutral, marginal, or unsatisfactory.
[3] There is no indication in either Adelphias proposal or the customers survey responses as to which Adelphia entity performed the three contracts.
[4] The pre-award survey found that the awardee was a well-organized and viable enterprise with sufficient resources available to perform the contract and an 11-year history of providing advanced communication services. On the down side, the financial situation is so complex that it is nearly irrelevant for this award inasmuch as all factors indicated a high financial risk, but the pre-award survey concluded that other factors (such as the relatively small size of the contract and Adelphias apparent improving financial situation) minimized the risk. Agency Report, Tab 14, Pre-Award Survey of Adelphia, at 7-8.
[5] For their part, the Air Force and the intervenor do not dispute that members of the Rigas family and Adelphia Communication Corporation have been charged with serious financial misconduct, and that the three members of the Rigas family have been indicted. On its behalf, Adelphia disputes the protesters representation of the amount of Adelphia Business Solutions stock transferred to members of the Rigas family and entities controlled by the Rigas family; however, the intervenor admits that the indicted Rigas family members own some a significant amount of Class A (financial interest) and Class B (voting interest) stock, and that Rigas family member and affiliated interests have enough Class B shares (51.6 percent) to constitute voting control. (We note that the intervenors analysis of the stock ownership of the Rigas family focuses on their ownership of stock in TelCove. As indicated above, the record appears to indicate that Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc., the apparent awardee here, is an affiliate of Adelphia Business Solutions, doing business as TelCove. See Agency Report, Pre'Award Survey of Adelphia, at 5, 7. The record is not clear as to the ownership interest of the Rigas family in the apparent awardee or to what extent TelCove exerts control over the apparent awardee.) The intervenor nevertheless states that notwithstanding this majority interest, the influence of the Rigas family was removed as a result of Unanimous Written Consents of the Board of Directors of Adelphia Business Solutions, Inc., whereby the awardee removed the three Rigas family members from positions as officers and employees of the Corporation on July 26, 2002. There is no indication in the record that this was considered by the contracting officer in making his responsibility determination.
[6] As discussed in detail below, DCMA also did not comment on Adelphias integrity or business ethics.
[7] As discussed below, as the case developed the record established that the agency did not reasonably consider Adelphias record of integrity and business ethics in making its responsibility determination.
[8] In his affidavit, the contracting officer notes DCMA recommended complete award, corporate financial fraud allegations and bankruptcy notwithstanding. Contracting Officers Affidavit at 2. This statement fails to recognize that DCMA did not address Adelphias integrity and business ethics, even though this was requested by the contracting officer.
[9] There is no documentation in the record of these two conversations or identification of what aspect of Adelphias past performance was discussed or even what Adelphia entity was being discussed.
[10] The contracting officer also admits in his affidavit that he did not know at the time of his responsibility decision that the Rigas family members had resigned their corporate offices, and only learned of their resignations in the protest submissions. See Contracting Officers Affidavit at 2. We note that this statement appears inconsistent with the Air Forces legal argument that the contracting officer had determined before his responsibility determination that Rigas family members were no longer officers of the corporation. See Air Force Response to Protesters Comments at 5.
[11] The contracting officers review apparently also did not consider which Adelphia entity was the offeror and awardee here, given the confusion in the record on this matter and the lack of comment by the contracting officer. See note 1 above.
Nov 25, 2020
Battelle Memorial Institute
We deny the protest.
Exceed, LLC
We deny the protest.
Nov 24, 2020
Posterity Arora JV, LLC
We deny the protest.
Technology, Automation & Management, Inc.
We deny the protest.
Nov 20, 2020
Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless
We deny the protest.
RIVA Solutions, Inc.
We deny the protest.
DynCorp International, LLC
We deny the protest.
Nov 19, 2020
Qbase, LLC; Perspecta Enterprise Solutions, LLC; and Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
We sustain the protest.
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Psychiatrist: Newtown report lacks necessary information on shooter's mental state
HARTFORD >> Some members of a state commission reviewing the deadly Newtown school shooting said Friday they need more detailed information about the killer's mental state and his access to treatment before they can make any substantial recommendations concerning mental health policy.
Dr. Harold Schwartz, psychiatrist-in-chief at Hartford Hospital's Institute of Living, said he was distressed by the amount of information on 20-year-old Adam Lanza's mental health issues that was not included in the investigative report into the massacre, released last month by Danbury State's Attorney Stephen Sedensky III.
"I understand that some information is confidential. We have confidentiality laws, so if somebody saw a mental health professional and there's a record of that, that information is not routinely available," said Schwartz, a member of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's Sandy Hook Advisory Commission. "However, this is not a routine situation."
Schwartz said the commission should make a "full court press" to obtain additional documents, such as a copy of a manuscript Lanza wrote in the fifth grade at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the same school where he shot and killed 20 first graders and six educators on Dec. 14, 2012, before committing suicide. Police said he shot and killed his mother Nancy Lanza at the home they shared in Newtown before the massacre.
The main character in Lanza's manuscript, "The Book of Granny," has a gun in her cane and shoots people, and another character likes hurting people, especially children.
"I'd like to know whether any other adult saw that document," said Schwartz, adding how it could reflect on a missed opportunity to address any mental health problems Lanza was suffering.
Commission members are also hoping to gain access to other documents, such as medical records concerning Lanza's mental health and reports from the planning and placement team meetings held at the schools Lanza attended. Schwartz said he would also like to ask Lanza's father Peter to testify before the commission on the family's efforts to find help for Adam Lanza, adding how there are many families in Connecticut struggling to find mental health services for their children.
Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson, the commission's chairman, said "we can ask nicely" if Peter Lanza could address the group. "I would want to be extremely sensitive," he said, adding how it should probably be a subset of the panel that included members who are mental health professionals. Jackson said he is also working on obtaining other documents the commission wants.
The commission is trying to wrap up its work after months of meetings, hoping to submit a report early next year on the mass shooting that includes recommendations on various public safety policies, including mental health and school security. The panel, which last met in August, had been waiting for Sedensky's report in hopes of gaining some more insight into the event.
But commission members on Friday complained there was little context to some details Sedensky decided to include in the prosecutor's report, such as mentioning Lanza was diagnosed with Asperger's disorder — an autism-like condition that is not associated with violence — but not including the types of specialists that may have seen Lanza over the years.
Alice Forrester, executive director of the Clifford W. Beers Guidance Clinic Inc., a community mental health provider in New Haven, said the panel has no information about the "developmental trajectory" of Lanza's life. She said the commission needs to know what happened to him between birth and age 20, when, according to Sedensky's report, Lanza had reached a point where he wouldn't allow anyone into his room and covered his windows with black plastic. Weeks before the shooting, the report said Nancy Lanza expressed concerned about her son and said he hadn't gone anywhere in three months and would only communicate with her through email.
"I feel we can only make very broad assumptions with the information, or lack of information, that we have," Forrester said.
Also on Friday, the commission heard from members of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, which at the request of the Newtown Police Chief, conducted a review of the department's response. The chiefs said officers responded rapidly and followed current policy.


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Coffee & CommerceName: Coffee & CommerceDate: April 6, 2021 - April 21, 2021Registration: Register NowEvent Description:Join us every month for our free morning networking mixer - Coffee & Commerce! Whether you're looking to make new business connections or just want to exchange ideas with other small business owners, Coffee & Commerce is the perfect opportunity to enhance your professional network. Come sip, share and succeed at Coffee & Commerce, the third Wednesday of every month.
Stop by for a great brew compliments of Capital One Cafe, stay for the great company and conversation. This event is hosted by the Lakeview Chamber in partnership with the Small Business Advocacy Council, the Lincoln Park Chamber, and the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce.


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PRINCETON, N.J., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Sixty-four percent of Americans said they oppose federal enforcement of marijuana laws in states where smoking marijuana is legal, Gallup said.
Americans who say they think marijuana should be legal overwhelmingly said the federal government should not get involved at the state level, as do four in 10 of those opposed to decriminalized marijuana, results of the USA Today-Gallup poll released Monday indicated.
Forty-eight percent said they thought marijuana use should be legalized while 50 percent said it should not, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.
Voters in Washington and Colorado in November legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, putting the state laws at odds with the federal Controlled Substances Act that makes marijuana use illegal.
Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,015 adults conducted Nov. 26-29. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.


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Start date: as soon as possible
Location: 61267 Neu-Anspach / near Frankfurt am Main
Our marketing team is a pioneering force in a creative, team- and customer-focused environment. As a talented all-rounder, you will be responsible for product, image and portrait photography and for co-ordinating and implementing image processing. Based in the marketing department, you will work in the Creative Services Team as a member of a cross-function, full-service team from the areas of Creative Services, Product Marketing, Digital Services and Content Marketing. You are flexible, dedicated and creative, with a sound knowledge, an excellent team spirit and strong self-management skills.
Your tasks:
Your profile:
What we offer:
The Adam Hall Group is a leading German manufacturing and distribution company providing event technology solutions around the globe to a diverse portfolio of business customers, including music instrument retailers and dealers, live event and rental companies, broadcast studios, AV and system integrators, private and public enterprises, and industrial flightcase manufacturers. The company offers a wide range of professional audio and lighting technology as well as stage equipment and flightcase hardware under its brands LD Systems®, Cameo®, Gravity®, Defender®, Palmer® and Adam Hall®.
Founded in 1975, the Adam Hall Group has developed into a collection of modern, innovative event technology companies. This includes an 14,000-square-metre warehouse and logistics centre at its corporate headquarters near Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Through its focus on value and service orientation, the Adam Hall Group has been presented with a number of international awards for innovative product developments and pioneering product design from prestigious institutions such as "Red Dot", "German Design Award" and "iF Industry Forum Design": In particular for the patented, first portable array system with high-definition sound, LD Systems CURV 500®, the radio microphone series LD Systems U500®, and the premium microphone stands from the brand Gravity®. Further information about the Adam Hall Group can be found online at www.adamhall.com.
Use the opportunity – Send us your detailed application by e-mail, stating your earliest start date and salary expectation. We look forward to receiving your application!
Find out more about career opportunities, the application process and everyday working life at the Adam Hall Group.


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Wilmington, Vermont
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Wilmington is a town in Windham county, Vermont. It was formed in 1751 in N.H. and again in 1763. The probate district for Wilmington is Marlboro, while the court district is Windham. For more information, contact the town at 2 E. Main St., P.O. Box 217, Wilmington 05363. On the attached map, Wilmington is shown as 17 in Windham county.
For information about the state of Vermont see Vermont Family History Research.


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A decadent buttery garlic French bread stuffed with gooey cheese and sprinkled with garlic powder and parsley. An indulgence for sure.
Hassleback Cheesy Garlic BreadNow, when I make this Cheesy Garlic Bread, I don't generally do the whole loaf, because, well... it's just me and The Cajun, and I would definitely eat the whole loaf! Besides being a book addict, I am also a lover of bread. All kinds. Especially freshly baked bread. And freshly baked French bread, most especially. And let me tell you. This bread is some kinda good. So if you're feedin' your family, or having a party, go right ahead and make the whole loaf. Since you have other folks to share it with and all.
You can use whatever cheese you like with this - Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, Swiss, Cheddar, whatever you've got - though I'm most fond of the white cheeses here. I used white American cheese in this picture because that is what I had to use up. Feel free to use shredded cheeses too - just put a big pinch or so between each slice. You can also smoosh up some fresh garlic which is amazing - but sometimes that good old garlic powder just simplifies things, ya know?
This is a no-recipe recipe, so there's really no measurements either - just use everything to your taste!
For more of my favorite bread, cornbread and biscuit recipes, visit my page on Pinterest!
If you make this or any of my recipes, I'd love to see your results! Just snap a photo and hashtag it #DeepSouthDish on social media or tag me @deepsouthdish on Instagram!
Recipe: Hasselback Cheesy Garlic Bread©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 5 min |Cook time: 20 min | Yield: About 4 to 6 servings
- 1 loaf of French bread
- Slices of Mozzarella, Swiss, Pepper Jack, White American or Cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of pure butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of seasoned salt (like Lawry's)
- 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning, optional
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried minced onions
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut slits in the bread about an inch apart, but don't cut all the way through to the bottom of the bread. Place the bread on a large piece of aluminum foil with enough excess to wrap the bread tightly all the way around. Cut the cheese into slices about 1/4-inch thick and insert a slice of cheese into each slit.
In a small bowl, mix the butter and seasonings together until well blended. Smear the top and sides with the butter mixture and seal the whole loaf up tightly for soft bread, wrap the foil up around the sides and leave the top exposed to give it a nice crunch on top.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Slice all the way through to serve.
Cook's Notes: Substitute your own favorite cheese; okay to substitute shredded also. Add a wheel of brie, sliced into the bread slits along with the other cheeses.
Italian Cheesy Garlic Bread: Omit seasonings except for garlic powder. Substitute 1/2 cup mayonnaise for the butter. Mix mayo with 1 cup shredded Cheddar and 1 cup shredded Swiss, garlic powder and an envelope of Italian salad dressing mix. Spread in cuts or on cut side of split bread, sprinkle lightly with dried onion and bake as above.
Caprese Garlic Bread: Add one (3 ounce) packet of sun dried tomatoes and 1/4 cup of fresh basil, inserting some of each in the sliced bread slits, along with the mozzarella cheese. Finish with garlic spread and bake as above.
Cheesy Bacon Bread: If you can stand the decadence, slice strips of bacon in half both cross and lengthwise and place on top of the slits where the cheese is and after coating with the garlic butter. Gather the foil around as above and place into the oven. Pass quickly under the broiler at the end to crisp up the bacon more if desired.
Pull Apart Bread: Cut into a large round loaf of bread as above, making crosshatch cuts about 1-inch apart. Stuff cheese into cuts and spread butter blend all over the top as above. Gather foil and bake as above for 15 minutes, unwrap top and bake another 5 to 10 minutes or until nicely browned.
Source: http://deepsouthdish.com
Requires Adobe Reader - download it free!©Deep South Dish
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Check These Recipes Out Too Y'all!
Parmesan Garlic Toast
Garlic Cheese Biscuits
Garlic Bread Butter Blend
Posted by Mary on June 24, 2009
Images and Full Post Content including Recipe ©Deep South Dish. Recipes are offered for your own personal use only and while pinning and sharing links is welcomed and encouraged, please do not copy and paste to repost or republish elsewhere such as other Facebook pages, blogs, websites, or forums without explicit prior permission. All rights reserved.
Material Disclosure: Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.


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Do you want to rent a vacation beach condo on the Gulf Coast in Gulf Shores, AL, Orange Beach, Alabama, Destin, FL, Pensacola, Ft. Walton or Navarre Beach, Florida for your vacation? Rent our beach vacation condos directly from the owners. These condos offer you the best price and value in resort lodging properties on the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Panhandle gulf coast. All of these condos offer the best in location, amenities, value and quality. Why search for hotels to rent when you can stay in a spacious, luxurious beach rental condo. Daily vacation rental, weekly vacation rental, monthly vacation rental and long term rentals are available. Swim in the gulf waters or the pool, sun, shop, golf, sun bath, fish, snorkel and relax at one of our rental condominiums during your summer beach vacation and snowbird winter vacation!
Sugar white sand and beautiful gulf waters are waiting for you in each of our vacation rental condos situated on the beautiful Gulf Coast in Gulf Shores\Orange Beach, Alabama and Navarre Beach, Florida. Each of our 3 and 2 bedroom rental condos offer the best in location, amenities and value.


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There's nothing better than food trucks in the summer, except for food trucks that park right outside your workplace. We have been spoiled by Rapscallions Food Truck three times now, parking so close to the building that I can see it from my desk. And no, I don't work downtown so this is an extra special treat.
Rapscallions is a green onion cake food truck gone Mexican. They have turned an already delicious, sought out appetizer, into a stroke of genius Asian meat-filled "taco", using a green onion cake as the shell. There are only a few items on the menu, but that is ok, because when you are craving green onion cakes, you can order them in all different forms. $7.00 will get you a green onion taco-style wrap with a choice of Thai chicken, roasted pork belly, or Korean shredded beef. Make it a meal for a few bucks more and it will come with 2 pork spring rolls and a pop. The "taco" is a modest size, so you may want to consider the meal, or two… Occasionally they have specials such as grilled cheese and spring roll supreme, but it's not a staple on their menu yet.
The cakes are grilled, not fried, so the texture may disappoint some if expecting a crispy, flaky green onion cake, but it works extremely well when used as a cradling median for your meat. I quite enjoyed the pork belly taco, although I wish there were more than 3 pieces of pork belly. The pork crackling was crisp, and the meat was tender. It was served with a sweet chili slaw of lettuce, cilantro, carrot and daikon, which was a bit runny for my liking, and I ended up squirting on their garlic chili mayo on top. That certainly kicked it up a notch. The truck also offers other additional sauces you can put in a little take-away container such as garlic chili, sweet chili, and chili soy.
Thai chicken was also tasty and came in a peanut sauce with a bit of cucumbers and lettuce. The sauce paired well with the chicken and green onion cake. The pork spring rolls were decent, but not as crispy as I would like (I'm a fan of the small Vietnamese ones). I paid a little extra to substitute Hong Kong style lemon tea for the pop, but was disappointed to find it a on the watered-down side and needed to be colder.
Overall, Rapscallions was good food truck with a distinct and focused theme. They are certainly welcome at my place of work any day.
Rapscallions Food Truck
Edmonton, Alberta


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Widespread stress reduction swept across the world's game consumers today after the release of the November 2010 NPD numbers, which have reassured enthusiasts that the state of the games industry can still be represented by a variety of figures, including percentages and dollar amounts.
Numbers about everything
The report reveals an 8% increase in software and hardware revenues compared to November 2009, which ends a seven month year-on-year drop, and indicates that the industry will probably continue to exist long enough to be compared to December's numbers, and perhaps even numbers from 2011.
Numbers about hardware
The Xbox 360 was the top-selling console of November, which is of huge relief to consumers who have desired validation of theirXbox 360purchases, as well as to those who have been waiting fora chance to dismiss the statistic as irrelevant to their preference of console.
Above: "I don't really care about Kinect, so whatever," said a 17-year-old PS3 owner
The Nintendo DS, however, was the overall top-selling system of the month, which suggests that several months after Christmas, the phrase "No, I'm not getting you the new '3D one.' You said you wanted this one!" will shoot to the top of the stern parental remarks chart, which is released quarterly.
Numbers about software
In software, the NPD Grouphas revealed that some games sold better than others with the following list:
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops - Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS; 8.4 million
2. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - Xbox 360, PS3
3. Just Dance 2 - Wii
4. Madden NFL 11 - Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP
5. Fable III - Xbox 360
6. Donkey Kong Country Returns - Wii
7. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - PS3, 360, Wii, PC
8. Gran Turismo 5 - PS3
9. NBA 2K11 - Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP,PC
10. Wii Fit Plus - Wii
Many consumers who have studied the numbers have pointed out what they say is a "surprising" correlation between the popularity of a game and its sales, and have expressed their concerns with comments such as, "WTF CoD sux," and, "lol just dance 2 rlly?!"
Above: Call of Duty: Black Ops is "not even that good," according to a 19-year-old computer science student. He added,"Minecraft is all I play now. Did you know it has over 600,000 purchases?"
Tensions among members of the game-playing community are expected to rise again during the lead-up to the next set of figures, which will be released around the same time next month, and should again assuage fears of a fact and figure drought.
Dec 9, 2010


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20 of 51
Fudgy Toffee Pecan Cookies
Buttery toffee and toasted pecans push this deeply chocolaty cookie over the top.
Buttery toffee and toasted pecans in a rich chocolate cookie; all that's missing is a cold glass of milk. What to buy: Skor or Heath bars work best in these cookies. The delicious flavor of these cookies requires an excellent-quality cocoa powder with a 20 to 24 percent fat content.... Read More
View Recipe


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Back in 2006, BT and the British telecom regulator Ofcom reached an agreement which forced the former telco monopoly to make its copper wiring available to independent ISPs, who could then serve individual homes across the United Kingdom. Under this setup, BT's last-mile business became "Openreach" and nearly 400 ISPs and phone companies have taken advantage of this setup.
On Monday, Openreach announced it's ready to upgrade its wholesale offerings with fiber to the premises that will reach as high as 330 megabits per second.
"The 330/20 Mbit/s product is also launched with a special offer to encourage [ISPs] to offer the product variant to their customers and test this high bandwidth in the home environment," the company said in a statement. At first, the new tier will come at a discount. "The 330/20 Mbit/s special offer will apply to orders raised between 11 June 2012 and 31 January 2013 and represents savings of more than 50 per cent per line per calendar month (based on transition prices)."
Once this service gets widely rolled out, it could be one of the fastest and most widespread offerings in Europe.


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Stereo Bluetooth headsets are a great idea for those who want to be rid of entangled wires, but many people don't want to give up their precious earbuds either. Luckily, there is a compromise: you can get a stereo Bluetooth pendant like the Jabra Clipper, which lets you use your own headphones. Of course, it comes with a set of earbuds if you don't have your own. As the name suggests, the Clipper clips easily onto clothing for a more portable wearing style. Even though the Clipper retails for $59.99, you can get it for as low as $40 if you shop around online. As with all stereo Bluetooth devices, the Jabra Clipper only works with A2DP-capable handsets.
The Jabra Clipper is really more of a Bluetooth clip than it is a headset. All of the controls are housed inside a small 1.8-inch-long-by-1.0-inch-wide-by-0.7-inch-thick unit. The clip narrows down to around 0.4 inch thick, and has a small opening in the middle so you can clip it to your clothing--a jacket, T-shirt, or thin sweater would do fine. We did find that it's a little difficult to fit the Clipper over thick sweaters though--Jabra suggests the maximum thickness of clothing to be around 4mm or 0.16 inch.
The Clipper is coated in a rubbery soft touch material. Located on the front is the multifunction button with the volume controls on either side, surrounding it in a circle. The buttons are all raised above the surface, so they are easy to press by feel. We did think the volume controls were a bit on the small side, however. On the right side of the Clipper is a 3.5mm headset jack. You can use the provided wired earbuds with the Clipper, or you can use your own. Also on the Clipper is a tiny microphone located above the volume button. Because of this, you do need to place the Clipper somewhere around the collar for the best outgoing audio.
We paired the Jabra Clipper with the Apple iPhone 4 and used the provided earbuds. The earbuds fit very comfortably in the ear, and we like that Jabra included a few different-size earbud options, too.


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Showing all 6 results
Room for Two is the premier destination for maternity and breastfeeding clothing and accessories online.
Think stylish, think comfortable, think business! Our bump and nursing friendly dresses, tops, pants, shorts, lingerie and special occasion dresses are sourced from fabulous brands to help you find the perfect wear for your needs. We also carry a range of products for baby and giftware. We strive to give excellent customer service so please don't hesitate to ask any questions!


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Our extensive line of easy-to-use nucleic card devices is ideal for the collection, preservation, and long-term storage of nucleic acids. The NUCLEIC-CARD matrix is chemically treated to enable cell lysis and protein denaturation, immobilizing and preserving nucleic acids for long-term storage at room temperature.
Key features
- Enables direct PCR amplification from a card punch, eliminating time-consuming extraction and quantification steps
- Facilitates high-quality short tandem repeat (STR) profiles with Applied Biosystems direct PCR amplification kits
- ISO 18385–compliant: free of amplifiable human DNA, certified as DNase and RNase free, and ethylene oxide–treated
- Available in a variety of configurations:
- 1, 2, or 4 sample collection areas per card: plain white for blood and colored for buccal samples.
- Framed card options to maximize sample integrity with commercially available punching systems; integrated swab and/or card collection device to improve buccal cell collection.
- Indicator card that changes color from pink to white upon sample addition for easy visualization and punching.
- Improved chain of custody with peel-off barcode feature
Featured product
The NUCLEIC-CARD Collection Device system incorporates a redesigned DNA collection swab and collection chamber with the established chemically-treated NUCLEIC-CARD matrix for cell lysis and protein denaturation. This integrated collection system can help your lab achieve a high first pass success rate for reference samples, and a decrease in your laboratory costs.


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Moderator: Cartographers
edbeard wrote:yep. that's why we're going to change them.
mibi, care to clarify which font you're talking about?
the territory labels, the legend, or the sector label text?
I think you're talking about the territory label text, but I'm not sure. We're going to use the legend font for the territory labels so that will probably solve that problem (if that's the one you meant).
natty_dread wrote:I was wrong
Mr_Adams wrote:looks to much like prohibition to me... something more original...
edbeard wrote:that territory is called Supplier. Obviously, it's a bit hidden. We'll look into moving it or maybe we should just scrap the clear font.
Marvaddin wrote:Drug operation just near the City Hall??? In movies they are always on ports, and we Brazilians think about them on slugs (maybe a better idea). So near the city hall is very strange...
Marvaddin wrote:And phones attacking phones????
Marvaddin wrote:Too much reading to understand the bonuses, too much small bonuses, and a simplist objective, like hold a continent and an specific territory. I think, if the objective is too hard, it will be ignored like in Age of Magic map. If not, it will be taken too easily.
natty_dread wrote:I was wrong
babinecz wrote:just looks like prohibition chicago, and is still a stupid idea
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Barnes records eighth cycle in Astros history
Center fielder completes feat with double in eighth inning Friday night
HOUSTON -- Brandon Barnes earned a spot in franchise lore on Friday night even more exclusive than the Astros' extensive no-hit club, as he notched the eighth cycle in team history. It was the 283rd cycle in MLB history, according to Retrosheet.
The center fielder barely beat out a double in the eighth inning, putting an historic tint to a night in which he went 5-for-5, scored three runs and drove in two during Houston's 10-7 loss to Seattle.
"It's the top moment [of my career so far]," Barnes said. "I was just thankful to do it in front of my wife. That was an awesome moment."
He's the first Astros player to hit for the cycle since Luke Scott did it in reverse order as a rookie against the D-backs in 2006, when he needed an extra-inning affair to provide one extra opportunity at the dish.
The last Astros right-handed hitter to accomplish the feat was Craig Biggio, who pulled it off against the Rockies in April 2002.
Cesar Cedeno recorded the first two cycles in Astros history (1972, 1976) and was followed by Bob Watson (1977), Andujar Cedeno (1992), Jeff Bagwell (2001), Biggio and Scott.
That's lofty company for Barnes, who is still a rookie and has only been a full-time starter in center for the last two months.
He's swung a hot-and-cold bat all year, garnering notoriety more for his highlight-reel catches in the spacious Minute Maid outfield than for wielding a prodigious bat.
"I'm not worried on how I'm perceived about whether I'm a defensive player or offensive guy," Barnes said. "I just do everything in my capability to play hard and good things can come out there. That's how nights like tonight happen."
He won't have to worry about perception after Friday's performance. He took Seattle starter Joe Saunders deep for a no-doubt solo home run over the 404-foot sign in left-center field during the second inning to kickstart the quest for one of baseball's rare hitting feats.
Barnes erased the ever-difficult triple off the cycle checklist in the fourth, lining a ball into the right-field gap that plated a run.
A single in the sixth put a palpable buzz into the home crowd, but it burned out quickly when the Mariners smashed a three-run blast to nab a 9-3 lead in the eighth.
Still, in the Houston dugout, everyone knew. No-hitters and near misses are treated with reverential shunning among baseball folks and Barnes' attempt at a cycle was no different.
Teammates were careful with their words and silence surrounded Barnes more than praise in the dugout, but the scoreboard couldn't be ignored.
By the time he stepped to the plate with a man on first and no outs in the eighth inning, there was no denying the stakes, as his hits were splattered across the Minute Maid jumbotron for all to see. Home run, triple, single. Only a two-bagger's absence tantalizingly teased those awaiting history.
"I don't think it's anything you talk about, but everyone was aware of the potential for [a cycle] in the dugout," manager Bo Porter said. "Normally, the triple is the hardest one, so when he was able to get that one, you knew he had a chance."
As soon as Barnes slapped a 1-1 pitch down the first-base line, the crowd volume immediately ascended to a fever pitch almost as if the Astros had just clinched a postseason win.
But two bases wasn't a sure thing, as Seattle right fielder Michael Saunders expertly played the carom off the foul-territory fence and launched a one-hopper that beat Barnes to the base.
"When it was there, I had to go for it," Barnes said. "I just was excited I had the opportunity in front of me. I wanted to win, too, so I was stretching first for the team and because we needed runs."
The wiry 27-year-old narrowly dodged the high tag, drawing animated fist pumps from Barnes and a standing ovation from the Minute Maid crowd.
"I was aware that I needed that [double]," Barnes said. "So I said a little prayer before I went up there. I was grateful for what I'd done already, and I decided to make it fun."
For good measure, Barnes added an infield single in the ninth, completing a wholly unique night at the dish.
"That's what you call living right," Porter said.
He's the first Astros player to hit for the cycle against an American League team and just the second player in franchise history to complete his cycle with a double.
It's a rare club that Barnes joins, with Biggio, Bagwell and Cedeno, who did it twice, among the other Astros to claim the cycle.
Barnes may not be the latest "Killer B" in an Houston uniform, but he was an honorary member for at least one night.
"Those guys are Hall of Famers in my book, and to be able to be associated with them in that aspect, it's a blessing and I'm thankful for that," Barnes said.
It's an even rarer feat than the no-hitter in club records, as Barnes made it eight cycles against ten Houston no-nos.
It's not even technically Barnes' first cycle as a pro, given that he hit for one with Class A Lancaster in June of 2010.
This one meant a little more, with Barnes joining an exclusive group of under 300 players in Major-League history who have managed four unique hits during a single game.
"That there's a great feat," said Porter. "It's obviously something that doesn't happen in our game every day. To accomplish it in a big league game is pretty impressive and it couldn't happen to a better guy.
"When you talk about accomplishments like the cycle, you may have seen it done before or talk about it amongst yourselves, but it's not often you have the opportunity. You may square the ball up so well, you end up getting three doubles. To Brandon's credit, he put together three really good at-bats and then put himself in position for this huge accomplishment."


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Just taken these out of my van, the ceiling ones are a bit buggered with some damp damage and mould, but mostly OK. Handy for templates in any case.
In Leighton Buzzard, but am around the coutnry now and again.
Will need them for templates myself first but after that..


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Lupin Receives FDA Approval for New Drug Application for SUPRAX® Oral Suspension, 500 mg/5mL
22 Feb, 2013, 13:20 GMT
MUMBAI, India and BALTIMORE, February 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Approval to add to growing SUPRAX® Franchise
Pharma major, Lupin Ltd., announced today that its subsidiary, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (collectively, Lupin) has received approval for SUPRAX® (Cefixime) for Oral Suspension, 500 mg/5mL from the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). Lupin expects to commence shipping the product in the near future.
The approval will expand Lupin's range of SUPRAX® dosage forms available to treat approved indications in appropriate patients. SUPRAX® is currently available as 100 mg/5ml and 200 mg/5ml suspensions; 400 mg tablets as well as chewable tablets 100 & 200 mg.
This new drug application provides for a new strength, 500mg/5mL, of SUPRAX (cefixime) for Oral Suspension for the treatment of otitis media, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, uncomplicated urinary tract infections, uncomplicated gonorrhea (cervical/urethral) and pharyngitis/tonsillitis.
Commenting on the approval, Ms. Vinita Gupta, Group President, Lupin Limited & CEO, Lupin Pharmaceutical Inc. said "We are happy to receive this approval. The new dosage form will add to our growing SUPRAX franchise and gives health care providers and patients a new formulation to treat the indicated infections. The approval of SUPRAX for Oral Suspension is one more example of our ongoing commitment to serving our customers and addressing their needs."
About Lupin Limited
Headquartered in Mumbai, Lupin is an innovation led transnational pharmaceutical company producing and developing a wide range of branded and generic formulations and APIs. The Company is a significant player in the Cardiovascular, Diabetology, Asthma, Pediatric, CNS, GI, Anti-Infective and NSAID space and holds global leadership positions in the Anti-TB and Cephalosporin segment.
Lupin is the 5th largest and fastest growing generics player in the US (5.1% market share by prescriptions, IMS Health) and the 3rd largest Indian pharmaceutical company by sales. The Company is also the fastest growing top 10 generic pharmaceutical players in Japan and South Africa (IMS).
For the financial year ended March 2012, Lupin's Consolidated Total Income and Profit after Tax were Rs. 70,972 million (USD 1.49 billion) and Rs.8,676 million (USD 182 million) respectively. Please visit http://www.lupinworld.com for more information.
Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is the wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Lupin Limited. Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is dedicated to delivering high-quality, affordable generic medicines and branded formulations trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. For more information, visit http://www.lupinpharmaceuticals.com.
For further information or queries please contact -
Shamsher Gorawara
Head - Corporate Communications
Lupin Limited
Ph: +91-98-20-338-555
Email: email@example.com
SOURCE Lupin Ltd


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Product Code
Stock Status
2-4 weeks lead time
4.40 lbs / sqft
Key Specs+ show more details
- This item covers 0.11 sf area.
DETAILS* Usage recommendation must be confirmed by your installer and depends on application, installation methods and general suitability. Country Floors assumes no liability from any installation and usage recommendations.
Weight 4.40 lbs / sqft Types Tiles Style Modern Finish Gloss Collection Stellar Ceramic Tiles Color White Area Bathroom, Kitchen, Living Room
PRODUCT INFORMATIONMuch as the name implies, our Stellar Ceramic Tiles Collection brings a solid and even stellar approach to the ceramic tile art form.Happily produced in the U.S.A, this product is handcrafted in over 100 color ways that are sure to ignite a creative fire in our clients and friends.There are very few design elements that contribute to a more colorful and visual focal point than ceramic tile. That said, our Stellar Collection will not disappoint.
Ceramic tile is a fired clay product. They may be glazed or unglazed, depending on the desired design concept and particular usage. Glazed ceramic tiles and many unglazed ceramic tiles are generally moisture resistant and therefore are suited for floor and wall spaces such as general living areas, bathrooms, kitchens, and so forth. Ceramic tile is relatively easy to keep clean, as they can tolerate many different common household cleaning products. Typically, ceramic tile does not absorb fumes, odors, or smoke. Because color may be fired into a tile's clay body (in the case of unglazed tiles) or onto a tile's glazed surface (for glazed tiles), ceramic tile will not usually lose color or fade when exposed to UV rays in sunlit conditions. Although many tiles have little to no variation, color can vary from tile to tile to differing degrees. This is an inherent and desired characteristic of all fired clay products. Therefore, all tile should be unpacked and inspected prior to installation, as Country Floors cannot accept claims for variation in any tile after installation.
- Unglazed ceramic tile is typically more porous and will potentially absorb liquids and stains. It needs to be sealed to protect the surface from liquids. Staining can be prevented to some extent by sealing with a quality chemical ceramic tile sealer and will need to be sealed periodically in order to continue to be free from stains.
- The grout placed in between ceramic tiles is susceptible to moisture, so it will need to be sealed to make it impervious to water. Otherwise, water can seep through the grout, which weakens the installation and encourages mold growth.
- Unglazed ceramic tiles have greater slip resistance than glazed tiles. Because they can be slippery, glossy tiles are not generally recommended for high traffic areas or for residential sites with children and elderly people.
- Ceramic tile is durable but may be subject to chipping in environments with aggressive use.
- Check the technical specifications assigned a particular tile product.


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Wild night: Yanks sink O's late, keep pace
Ryan scores go-ahead run in ninth on wild pitch; NY stays 1 behind TB
BALTIMORE -- This is exactly the brand of high-intensity baseball that Brendan Ryan hoped was on the other end as he rocketed across the country this week, scrambling to make a red-eye flight that air-dropped him into the middle of a postseason chase.
Ryan laced his first hit for his new club in the ninth inning Thursday night, then scampered home to score the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch as the Yankees recovered from coughing up a three-run lead, celebrating a 6-5 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards.
"My teammates made me look good," said Ryan, who greeted O's closer Jim Johnson with a line drive to right field and advanced to third base on a pair of bunts. "You don't win a game on a bases-empty single. That's just good fundamental baseball. It's winning baseball."
Mark Reynolds and Curtis Granderson homered for the Yankees, who remained one game behind the Rays in the chase for the second American League Wild Card spot with 15 games remaining. Tampa Bay defeated the Red Sox, 4-3, at Tropicana Field.
"It's important. We need to continue to win and we need to continue to take series if we want to play in October," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We got a lot of good performances out of people tonight."
Though he protected a one-run lead in the ninth inning, Mariano Rivera was credited with the victory -- not a save -- due to the discretion of the official scorer, who invoked Rule 10.17 (c) to state that David Robertson had been "ineffective and brief" in his eighth-inning appearance.
Rivera continues to hold true to his promise of emptying the tank, appearing for the fourth time in five games, but insisting that there is no reason to hold anything back.
"There's no time to look back or sit around. We're fighting for something," Rivera said. "As long as we're OK, we have to continue."
Robertson allowed four hits in the eighth, including Danny Valencia's game-tying three-run homer, to flush a 5-2 lead.
"I battled, but I just didn't make enough good pitches," Robertson said. "I left too many pitches in the middle of the plate, and those guys made me pay for it."
But Johnson offered a wild throw and a wild pitch in the ninth, firing a Chris Stewart bunt into center field that allowed Ryan to reach second base. Granderson dropped a sacrifice to advance Ryan to third. When Johnson bounced a pitch to Alex Rodriguez that scooted past catcher Matt Wieters, Ryan -- who was acquired from the Mariners late Tuesday night to help fill in for the injured Derek Jeter -- was on the move again.
"Jimmy's one of our best fielding pitchers," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Nobody works harder at it than him. He just couldn't quite get a good grip on it."
Earlier, Reynolds slugged a two-run blast for his 200th career homer, and Granderson reached Eutaw Street beyond the right-field wall for the second time in two games.
Vernon Wells also stroked a two-run single to lead the charge against Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen, who allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Girardi gambled with what turned out to be a tandem start of right-hander Phil Hughes and left-hander David Huff, squeezing a combined six innings of two-run, five-hit ball from the hurlers.
"After having not pitched a lot in the last couple of weeks, command was my biggest concern," Hughes said. "It was pretty good. I didn't walk anybody and I was throwing a lot of strikes, so I was happy with that."
Hughes allowed a run on three hits over three-plus innings, giving up a third-inning Manny Machado RBI single in a 50-pitch start. Huff relieved and limited the Orioles to Nick Markakis' seventh-inning solo homer, scattering just two hits.
"We had a comfortable lead. I didn't want to go in there and start nibbling or being too fine," Huff said.
New York put up four runs through the first three innings against Chen, but the left-hander settled in to retire 13 straight before being chased by Granderson's seventh-inning homer, the sixth of the slugger's abbreviated season.
Girardi pieced together the bullpen to get to the late innings, using Adam Warren for two outs and Cesar Cabral for an out. A terrific leaping catch by left fielder Alfonso Soriano took away a Machado homer leading off the eighth, an indication that Robertson's outing might not go smoothly.
"That's the first homer that I stole from somebody," Soriano said, beaming. "I'm very excited because it was a close game and a very important catch, and very important for me."
The Yankees could exhale after Rivera's appearance, his final regular-season one at Camden Yards. But the retiring all-time saves leader acknowledged that this late-season push -- necessary as it may be -- is taking its toll in more ways than one.
"Obviously you're going to feel some bumps and bruises. It's not like I'm Superman or something like that," Rivera said. "At the same time, it's something that you can handle, something you can pitch with. As long as it feels like that, it'll be OK."


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Supply and Install $244.00 Inc GST
The modern contemporary styling of the Tasman range will add a special finish to any home.
- Copper jumper valve
Outlet Type Fixed
Top to Bottom Plumbing, Townsville's local plumbing professionals, are able to offer commercial and residential customers a wide range of expert plumbing services, including a reliable 24/7 emergency plumbing callout service.
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Top To Bottom Plumbing are a locally owned Townsville plumber company that covers all aspects of commercial and residential plumbing in the region. We have been the leading Townsville plumbers since we commenced our operation back in 2010. We offer a full range of services including installs of new plumbing in new house builds, repairs and maintenance, leak detection and other niche services such as major roofing as well as the detection of your Townsville blocked drain. At Top To Bottom Plumbing Townsville we really do take care of everything and for peace of mind we also offer an emergency plumbers Townsville service to ensure works are completed when required. If you are wanting to deal with the leading Townsville plumbers give us a call today and start experiencing the difference our local company can make for you. (If you require the services of a Townsville emergency plumber call us on (07) 4779 7722
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September 2011 New Products
11 Of The Newsest Products For Your Rig
Ford Super Duty 6.2L Intake
The aFe Power Stage 2 cold-air intake for the '11 Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty with the 6.2L will help it breathe. The system features a durable one-piece heat shield that blocks engine heat and an aluminum intake tube to maximize air velocity and improve horsepower and torque. The kit comes with a five-layer Pro 5R inverted top air filter for maximum filtering and airflow. Information: aFe Power, 951.493.7155, www.afepower.com.
Direct Fit Wrangler Radiator
Flex-a-lite is now offering the Flex-a-fit direct-fit radiator and electric fan combination for the '87-'06 Jeep Wrangler. The 15-inch, 3,300-cfm electric fan is premounted to a two-row, all-aluminum radiator and extruded side tanks that dissipate more heat than an OE radiator. The setup replaces the stock one-row radiator with two rows for better cooling. Information: Flex-a-lite, 866.447.5967, www.flex-a-lite.com.
Ford Repair Manuals
Ford Super Duty F-250, F-350, and Excursion from 1999 thru 2010 are now covered by Haynes repair manuals. The manuals cover all gasoline or diesel engines maintenance and repair. They feature step-by-step procedures linked to hundreds of easy-to-follow photos and illustrations. Every Haynes manual includes a complete troubleshooting section to help the home mechanic identify specific problems. Information: Haynes Publishing, 800.242.4637, www.haynes.com.
Aggressive Ford Clutch
The DFX single-disc clutches by Centerforce for '77-'97 Ford trucks use an 11-inch clutch assembly. The clutch offers a higher-holding-capacity pressure plate and is designed for a direct bolt-in replacement and ceramic button style disc. Centerforce II and Dual Friction options are also available. Information: Centerforce, 928.771.8422, www.centerforce.com.
Mini Impact Tools
Ingersoll Rand's mini air tools, the 2101XP-QC 1⁄4-inch Quick Change Mini Impactool and the 2102XP 3⁄8-inch Mini Impactool, are lightweight and engineered for power. Both weigh less than 11⁄2 pounds and deliver 45 ft-lb of torque. The guns also feature a pistol-grip design with an easily accessible forward/reverse switch that allows one-handed operation. Information: Ingersoll Rand, 800.866.5457, www.ingersollrandproducts.com.
Removable Wrangler Fenders Flares
The removable fender flares from TrailMods are really two fenders in one. The outer, larger flare is quickly removable for the trail while underneath is a smaller fender, which will help protect a Jeep from flying debris. The fender flares can be installed and removed without tools. Information: TrailMods, www.trailmods.com.
Bolt-on EZ-EFI Kits
The complete bolt-on EZ-EFI Electronic Fuel Injection Kits from FAST allow anyone to install a multiport injection setup on small- and big-block Chevy and small-block Ford engines that were originally carbureted. Simply install the system and answer the questions in the setup wizard on the handheld display. The system then tunes itself as you drive. Kits include everything else needed to get rolling. Information: FAST, 877.334.8355, www.fuelairspark.com.
PlastiKote Truck Bed Liner
Plastikote's Truck Bed Liner aerosol makes it easier to give your truck bed excellent protection for a fraction of the cost. The truck bed liner also comes in a gallon can or as part of a bed liner kit for brush on applications. The flexible PlastiKote liner permanently bonds to the surface, resists abrasion, and has textured, nonskid, recycled rubber granules to help prevent slips and falls. Information: PlastiKote, 866.222.8714, www.plastikote.com.
Badlands Winches
The Badlands winches from Harbor Freight Tools are an economical solution to a tight budget. The winches feature a three-stage planetary gear system for fast line speeds, high-strength aircraft-grade cables, and a new efficient, low-amp-draw Neutron motor. The winches have a bolt pattern to fit most popular mounts, ergonomic pistol-grip handheld controls, an automatic load-holding brake, free-spooling capability, and an easy-turn clutch knob. The winches are available in 6,000-, 9,000-, and 12,000-pound capacities. Information: Harbor Freight Tools, 800.444.3353, www.harborfreight.com.
Jeep Duraspark Distributor Set-up
The Duraspark distributor is ideal for those who want to maintain the stock appearance of their Jeep and don't want to run an HEI-style distributor. The Duraspark provides increased durability and a cure for timing fluctuation. Each electronic distributor is blueprinted to provide maximum power, torque, and instant throttle response. The Dyna-Module and Inferno 2 Coil Kit for the Duraspark distributor is designed for off-roading and racing. Information: Performance Distributors, 901.396.5782, www.performancedistributors.com.
JK Aluminum Skid System
Get complete protection for the underside of your JK at half the weight. The complete skid system includes four separate skidplates—for gas tank, oil pan, transmission, and transfer case—all made from 1⁄4-inch aluminum. The oil pan skid includes a drain panel that allows the oil to be changed without removing the skid. The system offers better ground clearance and protection at only 65 pounds for a two-door and 75 for a four-door. Information: River Raider Off Road, 717.262.3079, www.riverraider.com.


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