BOISE -- A consortium of Idaho telephone companies is asking the state's highest court to revive its lawsuit against the Idaho Department of Administration, Qwest Communications Co. and others.
The consortium Syringa Networks sued the state in 2009 claiming the Department of Administration illegally handed Qwest a $60 million contract to install the broadband infrastructure for the Idaho Education Network, a project to link public schools, universities and businesses in Idaho.
But last month Ada County 4th District Judge Patrick Owen dismissed Syringa's lawsuit, finding in part that the consortium failed to file an administrative appeal of the state's contract decision before it sued.
Now Syringa Networks is asking the Idaho Supreme Court to decide if it was legally required to exhaust all administrative remedies before turning to the courts.
