PWF sources say Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has delayed until sometime in February the announcement of the winner of the Purple Line P3 competition, which became widely known in the industry in mid-January. A team led by Fluor Enterprises was ranked best-value of four shortlisted bidders by the Maryland Transit Administration, which reportedly briefed bidders but asked  for their silence. In addition to dozens of firms competing for the roughly $2-billion contract, a total of 47 consultants have advised the public owners at some point.

Its competitors say Fluor wrapped the performance of its P3 team, which allowed it to underprice the competition and win the right to negotiate details of a long-term contract. Sticker shock is still an issue, says a source, which may be one reason for the delayed announcement.