2 weeks Ago
The article “County denies request for radio contract details” in the Oct. 22 edition, raises a number of concerns. It is a straightforward process to perform a bid analysis, a process routinely executed by professionals.
In its simplest form, it is done by comparing the deliverables identified in the buyer’s request for quotation with the bidders’ responses. If a bidder has offered proprietary technology that is potentially beneficial to the buyer, it can be noted without disclosing details. That the Washington County commissioners did not provide such an analysis is suspicious.
Their explanation is that they do not want to disclose proprietary technology. That is a ruse. Procurement professionals know how to handle such situations while protecting all parties.
In addition, competent professionals executing bidding and acquisition processes do not allow themselves to be compromised by accepting anything, whether it is meals, entertainment or gifts above a nominal value. Facilitating payments by a bidder, monetary or otherwise, even to a third party, are unethical. Further, it is unclear why the contract of the current services provider has been terminated.
If there are technical or commercial shortfalls as measured by the existing contract, has the provider been given the opportunity to correct them? Alternatively, perhaps something else that was not a contractual obligation but nevertheless expected, was not done. A related obvious concern is how the county bids and acquires everything else, i.e.
, all its goods and services, from copy paper and vehicles to consultant services. Are these processes also cloaked in smoke and mirrors? It is encouraging that the Observer-Reporter is pursuing the truth in the face of obstinate obtrusiveness. Douglas Mahrer McMurray.
