In a letter to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy expressed concerns over the projected $1.8 billion replacement cost of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.

He also voiced concerns over “whether Maryland intends to award contracts” for the bridge replacement “in a manner that relies on the race or sex of contractors.”

Any reliance on factors including race or sex when determining how to award contracts, wrote Duffy, “could introduce significant legal vulnerabilities and inefficiencies” in managing the project. Duffy said DOT has asked a federal court to declare the “presumption” of disadvantage based on race or sex be declared unconstitutional.

In his response to the letter, Moore issued a statement focusing on Maryland’s ongoing efforts to replace

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