Rell named State Senator Don DeFronzo, (D-New Britain), chairman of the General Assembly's Government Administration and Elections Committee, and James Fleming, Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, as co-chairs of the task force.
"We must restore confidence in the state contracting process," said Rell. "Contracts must be awarded to those who submit responsible bids through a process that is open, honest and fair. These are the principles we must set to operate state government with the highest standards of integrity and to guarantee the most efficient use of the taxpayers' dollars."
The task force will provide Rell with a final report by September 1. The entire scope of state purchasing will be examined, including the awarding of contracts for construction, leases, personal services, property management and the purchase of goods and equipment.
Rell said she will ask the heads of state agencies involved in the contracting process to serve on the task force. She said there would also be representation from the private sector. The public and private sector members of the task force will be named shortly.
Among the state agencies that will be represented are the Office of Policy and Management and the Departments of Administrative Services, Public Works and Transportation. Rell said others asked to serve on the committee will be the Auditors of Public Accounts, the chairmen and ranking members of the Legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee and the Chief State's Attorney's Office. Rachel S. Rubin, the Governor's Special Counsel for Ethics Compliance, will also serve on the task force.
Governor Rell said that in addition to addressing issues of ethics and integrity, the task force will make recommendations regarding "process improvements."
"Agencies involved with contracts must coordinate their activities so that decisions are made in an orderly and timely fashion," Rell said. "While ensuring the highest standards of integrity in the contracting process, we must also make certain state agencies can move forward to deliver programs and services for our citizens."
Among the specific ideas the governor will ask the Task Force to consider are:
- Adopting clear and consistent procedures for evaluation of bids and contractor performance.
- Requiring agencies to maintain complete, clear and open records of the contractor selection process, including written justification for decisions by those involved in the selection process.
- Establishing a binding and enforceable code of ethics for all those conducting business with the state.
- Authorizing the suspension of contractors engaged in wrong doing related to existing state contracts.
- Establishing a permanent oversight board for all major state contracts to ensure consistency and adherence to all contracting requirements.
- Requiring all contractors, not only those with large state contracts, to adhere to laws concerning disclosure of gifts to state employees.
- Reviewing the role of the State Properties Review Board to ensure appropriate oversight of all state leases.
- Implementing provisions of the Governor's Executive Order #1 and recent contracting reform legislation.
- Enacting a False Claims Act, modeled after the federal statute, providing for damages and penalties against contractors who defraud the state.
