That's what they'll tell you, that it was all too rushed to invite companies to bid for the contract.
In that situation you'd expect them to do a quick Google, find an expert, and talk to them. That's what you would do if your house was falling down.
What you wouldn't do is ask a mate from the fuckin jockeys club if they fancy fixing your roof even though they've never fixed a roof before, and you wouldn't tell them it's ok to charge 3 times the market rate.
Or maybe you would, if it wasn't your money....