A Moncton company has undercut three out-of-province firms by as much four times, landing the contract to do the light and sound for six events in the city this summer.

The $137,000 bid by Sound Specialists Inc. was so low, some city councillors questioned whether the company would be able to fulfill the contract to provide the audio visual services for the celebrations around Canada Day, the FIFA Women's World Cup, Mosaic, Atlanticade, Moncton's 125th anniversary, and the Acoustica summer concerts.

Sound Specialists has won the audio visual services contract for the Acoustica summer concerts and other events in Moncton. ​Coun. Blair Lawrence was among them. "I just don't remember seeing anything so widely different," he said.

But Tanya Carter, the city's director of purchasing, said it is not uncommon, particularly in the construction industry.

"We've seen bids range from $1.6 million up to $6 million," she said.

A Quebec company bid $588,000 on the contract, while two Nova Scotia companies bid at least $100,000 more than Sound Specialists.

Carter says sometimes companies don't understand the market they are bidding in.

"I suspect that there may be one vendor who simply puts in a price and if they get it for that price, that's great. If they don't, they could care less. So I don't really consider their bid all that competitive or reflective of the Moncton market."

Twice, Carter had to reassure councillors she wasn't worried about Sound Specialists not being able to handle the job. If there are problems, she said, council will be warned.