In January, [Pima County Administrator Chuck] Huckelberry wrote a recommendation for the [Pima County] supervisors to approve the $16 million-plus World View space balloon deal.
In that memo, Huckelberry informed the supervisors about two companies that had been working in secret on the project with the county for 6 months without payment.
Huckelberry then announced that both contractors would receive approximately $13 million in contracts without having to go through a formal competitive bidding process as is [otherwise] required per Arizona statute.
Source: Ally Miller: Pima Supervisors and administrator “damage the brand,” not me