Southside of the Nebraska State Capitol building. (Jeff Motz/KFOR News)LINCOLN–(KFOR Jan. 28)–Former Amherst State Sen. Dan McKeon has requested that Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers’ office review and investigate a $2.5 million no-bid bioeconomy contract awarded without a competitive pr ocess. The request follows public reporting by the Nebraska Examiner and audit findings that raised concerns regarding possible favoritism, procurement irregularities and the absence of competitive bidding in the awarding of the contract.  McKeon submitted this request as a citizen. He resigned from the Nebraska Legislature on Jan. 13 shortly before senators were set to vote on his expulsion for his alleged involvement into inappropriately contacting a staff member .  According to State Auditor Mike Foley’s report, the contract was awarded without a competitive process to an individual who is both a registered lobbyist and a personal associate of Gov. Jim Pillen.  In his letter to Hilgers, McKeon outlines several areas of law that may warrant review, including Nebraska’s competitive bidding statutes, procurement exception rules, conflict-of-interest and ethics requirements and statutes governing misuse of public funds.  The letter emphasizes that audit findings alone do not establish criminal liability but asserts that the facts presented justify independent review by the state’s chief law enforcement office. ...read more read less