MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Gov.-elect Bob Riley is upset that Gov. Don Siegelman's administration is spending $8.3 million on a communications network for law enforcement shortly before leaving office.

The deal is too large for an administration to complete in its closing days, particularly with the state's mounting financial problems, Riley spokesman David Azbell said Tuesday.

Siegelman said his administration has worked on the communications plan for two years, and an official bid award was made to Motorola on Nov. 26.

"It looks like a good contract and all systems are go. So we'll get this thing started and it will be the next administration that gets to really cut the ribbon for the statewide communications system," he told The Birmingham News. [...]

Work on the communications system has drawn public attention before.

In November 2001, Siegelman canceled a $15 million communications contract he had signed in March after The Birmingham News reported that his staff and Public Safety had arranged for SmartCop of Pensacola to get the contract without seeking bids or proposals from other companies. [...]

According to a disclosure form filed by Motorola, it used the law firm of Maynard, Cooper and Gale as a consultant in seeking the state business. The governor's former legal adviser and close friend Boots Gale is a partner in the firm. Gale also served on the legal team that Siegelman assembled during the 13 days he was disputing the outcome of the general election.

In addition to the Motorola deal, the Department of Public Safety has a pending three-year contract worth up to $1.8 million for Max Machuta, the consultant it used during the bid process, to manage the installation of the network.

That contract has been submitted to the Legislature's Contract Review Committee for approval. Machuta is a former Motorola employee, but Simon said he was unbiased and that both Motorola and M/A-Com complained about Machuta during the bid process.