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TransWest and Allied Universal Face Off Over Kern County Security Contract
A heated competition between security firms TransWest and Allied Universal unfolded at the Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting as both companies vied for a $7 million contract to provide security services for county buildings.
County employees recommended that the contract be awarded to Allied Universal, but representatives and workers from TransWest, the incumbent provider, voiced strong opposition to this decision.
Kern County Security Contract Debate Over Selection
The meeting saw intense arguments from both sides, with TransWest criticizing Allied Universal’s industry reputation and training standards.
“Allied, the multinational company, it appears that no evaluation was done as to what appears to be their reputation in the industry, for lack of training and ability to staff new contracts,” said TransWest attorney Dustin Dodgin.
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Allied Universal’s representative, Tad Garabedian, countered these claims, arguing that the opposition was misrepresenting information to manipulate the selection process. “It was kind of a smokescreen, there were numbers that he changed to change scoring, I mean that is just completely contrary to the way the public procurement process works,” he stated.
Postponed Vote and Final Decision
With District 3 Supervisor Jeff Flores absent, the board opted to delay the final decision until September 10, ensuring that all supervisors could participate in the vote. Both companies need at least three votes to secure the contract.
After a brief recess, District 5 Supervisor Leticia Perez backed the county’s initial recommendation, stating, “I will make a motion on staff’s recommendation to award this contract to Allied.” She expressed optimism that this decision reflected Kern County’s ongoing progress and evolution.
Reactions from Both Companies
Dodgin, speaking on behalf of TransWest, expressed disappointment that the contract was not resolved at the meeting but remained hopeful about the board’s review process.
Meanwhile, Allied Universal released a statement highlighting its existing presence in the region, noting that over 460 of its employees already work in Kern County. The company stated that it looks forward to building a strong partnership with the county moving forward.
