[Nfbf-l] article 2 on DBS contracts

[RJ Sandefur]

How and what does this have to do with me as a client of DBS? RJ
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
To: <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; <NFBF-Leaders at yahoogroups.com>; 
<Samme.Ripley at ocfl.net>
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2012 7:51 AM
Subject: [Nfbf-l] article 2 on DBS contracts


> Here's a followup to the article I sent earlier. Looks like possibly some
> positive results are coming.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Easy Talk
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 8:40 PM
> Subject: [fcb-l] article 2 on DBS contracts
>
>
> State officials call for contracts fix at Blind Services
> Interim Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said the state's Division of
> Blind Services
> will now competitively bid its contracts.
> She issued the following statement in response to the Times/Herald
> investigation into the Division of Blind Services. The
> story
> revealed that private vendors at the state division to help blind people
> dictate
> the terms of their own no-bid contracts and receive little state 
> oversight.
> "Florida Statutes exempt the Division of Blind Services from seeking
> competitive
> bids to contract with nonprofit entities to provide community 
> rehabilitation
> programs.
> However, as part of the Governor's agency-wide initiative to save money in
> contracting,
> the Department of Education has begun the process of requiring competitive
> bidding
> for these services."
> Division of Blind Services Director Joyce Hildreth, accused by her staff 
> of
> "cozy
> relationships" with contractors, was quick to follow up.
> "It is the Department's intent to competitively bid out these services.  I
> am in
> total support of this position, and will be taking action to strengthen 
> our
> contract
> and performance monitoring activities."
> Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, whose office signs contract checks,
> has pushed
> for more authority to enforce contracts and not renew those that do poorly
> in audits.
> He issued the following statement.
> "Your story certainly clearly highlights the problems and flaws in the 
> state's
> contracting
> system that I have brought to the forefront since taking office. This is 
> yet
> another
> example that proves the need for reforms that promote greater 
> accountability
> and
> transparency in grants and contracts, and ultimately protect taxpayer
> dollars from
> fraud, waste and abuse."
> Here is the reaction from Gov. Rick Scott's office.
> Governor Scott has asked state agencies to look for efficiencies to ensure
> tax dollars
> are used in the most effective way possible.
> @britt_alana
> Posted by Brittany Davis at 10:20:59 am on November 14, 2012
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