An eighth special session has been called by Governor Lou Leon Guerrero to consider Bill 314, introduced last week by then-acting governor Joshua Tenorio. The bill would authorize the Department of Public Works to proceed with the award and performance of the Simon Sanchez High School construction contract notwithstanding pending procurement protests or appeals, while preserving lawful protest rights and appropriate judicial remedies.

In her letter to Speaker Frank Blas, Jr. calling for the session, she stated their inaction on this project has consequences, such as GovGuam being forced to cancel the current procurement and restart the process entirely, as well as the continued disappointment of generations of Sharks still waiting for a home of their own.

The governor said, "After years of disruption for students and families – and after years of Sharks being told to wait just a little longer – at some point, government has to decide whether systems exist to build schools for children or whether they exist only to protect endless processes."

Now, Bill 314 is not without precedent. A prior legislature enacted a similar measure in response to procurement delays affecting the reconstruction of John F. Kennedy High School, recognizing that prolonged delay to a critical public school project was not in the interest of the public.

And the Maga'håga makes it clear: GovGuam did not reject an $80M bid in favor of a "sweetheart deal" amounting to double that price.

"Under the law, and under the RFP, only the top ranked proposers price could be open. The protesting party's price proposal remains sealed to this day. That's the law and we are following the law," said Leon Guerrero. "The law also required something else: that proposers use the government's approved school design developed through years of planning and input from educators, administrators, faculty, staff, students, and the community itself. That design was not optional. The selected proposer was ranked first under the qualification-based process established by the law and understood by every participant from the beginning. Only then was pricing opened and negotiated with the legal funding framework."

After over a decade of delays, tomorrow morning's emergency session could turn the tide of this project, bring an end to double-session arrangements, and move the Sharks that much closer to a homecoming.