Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards yesterday said his company only won a Government contract after an open competitive tendering process.The One Bermuda Alliance questioned whether Progressive Labour Party figures Renee Webb, Walton Brown and Rolfe Commissiong had to go through the same procedure before being hired by Premier Paula Cox.Ms Webb, Mr Brown and Mr Commissiong are paid $100,000 per year, $4,000 per month and $7,300 per month respectively according to figures about consultants released by Government Ministers last Friday.Mr Richards was not named on the documents provided by Government but, responding to criticism this week, Ms Cox asked why his consultancy work with the Transport Ministry had not been highlighted by the media.The Shadow Minister, said to be president of BITS which has been paid $46,000 for IT work for Transport, responded yesterday: “I am a shareholder in BITS, but I am not a consultant. For 20 years BITS has employed IT specialists who work in the private sector and in Government.“The work that BITS got from the Government was the result of an open competitive contract tender. I believe that open competitive tendering process is the difference between me and individuals named as consultants to the Government. We won that business fair and square. There were no favours for the boys here.”An OBA spokesman asked whether the consultancy contracts, particularly to Ms Webb, Mr Brown and Mr Commissiong, were awarded as a result of competitive tenders.Ms Webb advises Cabinet on European Union and UK relations from her Washington base; Mr Brown is a special adviser on consular and visa relations; Mr Commissiong is advancing recommendations from the Mincy Report and facilitating Government’s visa waiver assistance programme.The OBA asked whether those consultants have a track record of offering those services, or possess any special knowledge of them, that merited them getting contracts from Government.Ms Cox said she would not comment.Useful websites: www.plp.bm, www.oba.bm