House smacks agency for ‘shady’ deals
No-bid contracts prompt legal guardrails
The state’s purchasing and technology department maintains it did nothing wrong in awarding millions of dollars in unbid information technology contracts to former associates, some of whom raked in more than $200 an hour for consulting services. If true, why have Ohio Republican leaders decided the Ohio Department of Administrative Services needs the legislative version of a choke-and-prong dog collar to ensure obedience to competitive bidding standards?
Majority Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives inserted language in the state budget proposal requiring DAS to seek competitive bids on IT contracts that cost more than $50,000 over five years. The measure also would require Controlling Board approval of state IT contracts, including for consultants.
This was an act of political rectitude. Rep. Keith Faber, R-Celina, a member of the House Finance Committee, inserted the measure after reading Dispatch reporter Randy Ludlow’s investigation of the sweetheart deals.
“It was indicative of a bigger problem,” Faber said. He cited concerns that the state is not always “effective and efficient” in rolling out new computer systems.
Faber also is behind a new law that created a simple, cheap and fast process for Ohioans to appeal to the Court of Claims when denied public records. He’s running for Ohio auditor, so these actions might be seen as establishing his bona fides for higher office. Still, Faber deserves credit for undertaking reforms that protect Ohioans from abusive government.
In the case of the DAS IT contracts, The Dispatch found the agency disregarded its own directives to seek competitive bids and dismissed objections of its own purchasing experts. One firm awarded the no-bid deals was wired in: It employed former top DAS associates and the husband of a governor’s Cabinet member. And other consultants hired by DAS did the same work cheaper and with better ratings.
Fellow House Finance Committee members Mike Duffey, R-Worthington, and Jack Cera, D-Bellaire, said lawmakers also should restrict the ability of state agencies to hand out contracts without competitive bidding.
Duffey believes DAS officials “abused” a Controlling Board waiver to bypass bidding. “The way I read it in the Dispatch,” Duffey said, “it seemed shady, to be quite frank, and the amount of the awards seemed pretty large.”
It’s embarrassing that Ohio lawmakers should have to impose a measure into law requiring state officials to exercise common sense and obvious good-business practice.
Meanwhile, state Auditor Dave Yost has his staff digging into the DAS contracts, though he allows the law is convoluted.
To clarify, the House should extend the requirement for competitive bidding to all state agencies to prevent future shenanigans, and, with the Senate, approve this reform in the budget. And state officials who exercised bad judgment, abused their position, and likely broke the rules, should be held accountable.
Two city schools ranked with best
A visionary superintendent — Dr. Dan Good, along with hardworking educators, a stronger school board and renewed community support, have paid off in Columbus City Schools: Two of its high schools are ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report.
Columbus Alternative High School ranked 49th in Ohio and 1,222nd nationally (among 22,000 schools nationwide); Centennial ranked 133rd in the state and 2,275th nationally; both earned Silver Medals for preparing students for graduation and college.
Kudos go to other central Ohio schools that also made the rankings; Bexley City Schools placed an impressive fourth in Ohio and 128th nationally.