After months of examination over millions in no-bid contracts, the State Secretary of the State Secretary of the State Secretary started suggestions in the quiet exhibition of formal applications.
The move also follows a new law, which was passed by the General Assembly this year in order to increase the transparency requirements with regard to the state conclusion of the contract.
From July, almost a dozen inquiries about suggestions were listed on the website “Contract options” of the Foreign Minister. This includes providers for providers to deal with call center services, maintain and modernize cloud-hosted software platforms and to redesign the department's websites.
Most inquiries about proposals were made at the end of May at the beginning of May with submission deadlines.
A call center from third -party providers calls for a request to manage ten thousands of calls annually in the agency's business services and the departments of car dealership services, including answering 6,500 to 11,000 monthly calls. escalate complex cases; and storage of call records with sensitive personal data. The seller would be expected to meet the daily performance benchmarks and, according to the posting, report the state regularly.
Several proposals also look for providers to maintain and upgrade “critical” software systems that carry out important parts of the work of the office, including business applications, emergency applications and security supervision.
The office demands applications of companies with experience in cloud-based architecture, cyber security, workflow automation and artificial intelligence to support the re-development of the existing tools and to create new ones with a focus on performance and accessibility.
Another inquiry about suggestions asks to create content for a newly designed INBIZ portal, while other external companies are looking to evaluate and strengthen the IT security protocols of the office. Develop website infrastructure; Manage project conformity; and monitor the contract.
Previous contracts
The new lists will follow the reporting of the Indiana Capital Chronicle in December, in which Foreign Minister Diego Morales had awarded more than 3.3 million US dollars in contracts without competitive bid procedures. Some of these contracts went to politically associated providers who gave Morales' re -election campaign of tens of thousands of dollars.
Morales and his office have defended these agreements and previously informed the capital Chronicle that the agency “provides providers with strong stretching campaigns and commercially competitive proposals instead of public offering”.
But during a meeting of the State Budget Committee on June 18, he was examined by the legislators of the state with regard to the no-bid contracts of contracts with countless other controversy, while he was looking for more than $ 10 million in funds for his office.
Other controversy included moral purchase of a 90,000 dollar car with taxpayers from a campaign contribution and the termination of his brother-in-law.
Morales emphasized that no agreements were awarded by the State Secretary of the State Secretary before he was elected. He said they were legal – sometimes necessary if they were strictly on tight deadlines – and that only “companies with experience” received contracts.
Nevertheless, the Republican Senator Chris Garten Morales pushed for earlier no-bid contracts that were awarded to companies that made campaign contributions.
Morales believed that “many people” donate his political efforts.
“We do not pursue a contract that has been concluded for 20 years. I don't do anything else,” said Morales. “This makes us look for companies who are experts for what they do … and they do the work … and we save tax money by hiring the best of the best of business.”
New expectations
After the adoption of the Senate, the law 5-a new law enrolled, which is not public, government contracts that increase the monitoring of agency editions, the Foreign Minister said that the agency revised its internal processes to ensure compliance with compliance.
The head of legal advisor Jerry Bonnet informed the State Household Committee that the State Secretary of the State Secretary has not “unnecessary” contracts or IT work or other services in the past, but they are now increasing all for the offer process. “
“We are taking a lot of time now when we talk to providers now,” said Bonnet. “So we accepted the emergency that was declared by Senate Bill 5 to rule out all of these contracts for public procurement.”
The majority of the recent financing request from the agency of almost 8.2 million US dollars is intended for technology and security improvements.
According to Bonnet, a new Chief Information Officer, who started in office in 2023, rated the IT systems and came to the conclusion that the “outdated systems … () were in danger”. The improvement of this part of the office created a “high -output curve” that would fall bonnet to $ 4 million and 5 million US dollars at the beginning of next year.
It is not yet clear how much the new inquiries will be paid for suggestions, but Bonnet said that the office has already been able to “negotiate discounts with some providers”.
“The bidding process is great, but it takes some time to take something, take it apart and all these details to make specifications, to apply it, talk to all the different providers,” he added. “We try to do more with less.”
According to Bonnet, the office would also like to work with a consultant to navigate and manage new requirements that are enrolled as part of the legal law of Senate.
“Before we conclude new contracts, we hopefully have a professional contractor … an independent expert to make these contract reviews,” he noted. “It will be a hurry, but we will work in the coming weeks and months to keep our IT projects up to date.”
Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of the States Newsroom, a non -profit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as 501 (C) (3) Public charity organization. Indiana Capital Chronicle keeps editorial independence. Contact editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com.