Burns & McDonnell Targeted Over Alleged Broken Promise to Use MWBE Firms | Engineering News-Record
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The Missouri-based design-build contractor refers to the plaintiff cybersecuirity firm as a 'potential subcontractor.'
NewsBusinessWest Construction NewsCompanies Legal Burns & McDonnell Targeted Over Alleged Broken Promise to Use MWBE Firms Lawsuit argues design-build firm kept work for itself under a $60M Seattle utility contract By Scott Judy Photo by Diego Delso under C.C. 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons Cybersecurity firm certified to work on a $60M contract from Seattle electric utility City Light filed suit against Burns & McDonnell in Washington state court for allegedly "abusing" W/MBE laws to retain work for itself rather than award it to qualified subcontractors. January 22, 2026 A cybersecurity firm that said it was certified to work on a $60-million contract from electric utility Seattle City Light filed suit Jan. 12 in King County, Wash., superior court against design-build firm Burns & McDonnell Inc., for allegedly "abusing" the city's women- and minority-owned (WMBE) business contracting requirements by keeping the work for itself rather than awarding it qualified subcontractors.Certus Cybersecurity Systems' complaint alleges that 1898 & Co.—Burns & McDonnell's technology and security consulting unit—stated that it would engage in “true partnerships” in a "seamless team" with the WMBE firms working with it on an on-call utility technology roadmap.The lawsuit notes that in early January 2023, the city recommended to California-based Certus that it meet with Burns & McDonnell to help the firm win the contract, which it did in late March 2023.Once the contract was awarded, however, ...