KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — The future of a halfway house for federal prisoners in Kearney is again in limbo after another nearby halfway house filed a protest to a recently-issued government contract.

Two weeks ago, Louisville, Kentucky-based Dismas Charities was awarded a federal contract to operate a residential re-entry center in Kearney for up to a year. The company was advertising for jobs and preparing its new facility to begin operations on Nov. 1.

But the Kearney Hub reports (http://bit.ly/1NMuQHr ) that the opening has been put on hold after Western Alternative Corrections, a company that runs a similar facility in Hastings, filed a protest to the decision and a stay on the Kearney contract has been issued.

Dismas vice president Steven Vice says his company is hopeful the protest will be resolved quickly.