COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio’s auditor says his staff is taking another look at millions of dollars’ worth of information-technology contracts that were awarded by the state without a competitive bidding process.
Auditor Dave Yost tells The Columbus Dispatch (https://bit.ly/2nSf6Iu ) he’s following up after the newspaper reported that the no-bid contracts have been awarded for years despite objections from state purchasing analysts. He says his staff is simply gathering more facts. It’s not a full audit or investigation at this point.
The state’s purchasing agency, the Department of Administrative Services, declined an interview with the newspaper, and a spokesman cited the complexity of the topic.
Yost says that’s concerning. He acknowledges that contract rules are complicated by many exceptions but says it’s important that officials be able to explain how they’re spending public money.
___
Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, https://www.dispatch.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.