Seven contractors bid for the demolition and construction contract at the police department headquarters in the US city of Gretna. The contract was expected to be worth about US$4.5m but the exact same lowest bid of US$4,410,000.00 was submitted by two contractors.
The bids from FH Meyer and Trimark Constructors were carefully checked and the tie was confirmed.
After consultation with lawyers, it was decided that a random selection process was needed. Both bidders agreed to a single flip of a coin to decide the award. Ashton Miller Robinson - a 19-year-old whose grandfather and great-grandfather were both long-serving local police chiefs - was chosen to make the decision, using a special commemorative challenge coin.
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