JEFFERSON CITY • Missouri’s fledgling medical marijuana program could be facing its second lawsuit after a company bidding to help run the initiative cried foul over the awarding of a contract to a competitor.

In a protest filed with the state Thursday, an attorney for BioTrackTHC said the awarding of a contract to register patients, license facilities and track marijuana from seed to sale to Metrc LLC was flawed because the winner did not disclose fees that would be charged to growers and other vendors.

Those fees could have helped Metrc outflank competitors by lowering what it charges the state, the protest noted.

The protest seeks to void the contract with Metrc and award the potentially lucrative job to BioTrack based on a point system used by the state when it evaluates bids.

“Competitive bidding procedures must ensure that all who wish to bid have a fair opportunity to compete in a field where no favoritism is shown to other contestants,” the protest notes.