A Linwood contractor filed a federal lawsuit Friday against the city, challenging Cincinnati's race, ethnicity, and gender-based provisions for business contracts.
Ray Prus & Son, Inc., a cement contractor, argues that it submitted the lowest bid for a city road project, but was not considered because of the city's "set-aside" provision under the Cincinnati Equal Business Opportunity Program (EBOP). The city, the lawsuit said, decided that the contract is to be awarded to minority business or women business enterprises.
The contractor filed for a preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court, Cincinnati, to stop the city's use of the "set-aside" for the Winton Place road project. The project -- East Epworth Avenue to Chickering Avenue -- is expected to cost $450,000.
"The EBOP racial and ethnic quotas on the project is completely lacking any legal justification and constitutes a policy of city-sponsored racial, ethnic and gender favoritism," the injunction said. Ray Prus & Son of 5325 Wooster Road is a non-minority business enterprise.
