FARMINGTON – The state has invalidated a competitive grant given to Community Concepts Inc. in South Paris to help operate Franklin County Head Start and child-care programs.

The director of the state’s Bureau of General Services determined that there was an irregularity in the award and appeals process that may have been unfair.

Western Maine Centers for Children of Farmington had appealed the Maine Department of Human Services’ 2002 award of $386,000 to Community Concepts Inc. The state grant allowed Community Concepts to oversee the Franklin County Head Start, early Head Start and child-care programs.

Western Maine Centers and Community Concepts were the only two agencies that submitted bids to oversee the Franklin County program.

Earlier, a state appeals panel had validated the DHS award to Community Concepts.

Western Maine Centers then appealed that decision in Kennebec County Superior Court, claiming that the state didn’t supply it with all the requested documentation and witnesses. Western Maine Centers also claimed the state had committed a number of violations during the request for proposals, and in the application and award process.

Earlier this year, a Superior Court justice sent the appeal back to an administrative appeals panel so it could conduct further proceedings in Western Maine Centers’ appeal of the award. Justice Donald Marden sought a review of all written records concerning the reviewing or ranking of bids for the Head Start contract.

Community Concepts was awarded $2.2 million in federal and state funds in 2002 to oversee the Franklin County programs. The state’s portion of funding was about $139,000 in Head Start funds and $247,000 for child care.

In an Oct. 19 letter to Western Maine Centers, state Bureau of General Services Director Elaine Clark said the appeals panel’s presiding officer had attempted to obtain additional documents and information from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services but was unsuccessful.

“I have therefore determined that there has been an irregularity in the award and appeal process that may create a fundamental unfairness,” Clark wrote. “Accordingly, in the exercise of my authority as director of the Bureau of General Services, I have decided to invalidate the award and have advised the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a new (request for proposals).”