Do you read the Texas Register? It’s the weekly notice bulletin for all state agency rulemaking published by the Secretary of State. Apparently, the Texas Youth Commission has decided that it’s the ideal place for public announcement of policy changes, since hey, it’s on the Internets and all that. If you had been reading the Texas Register, as I’m sure so many of us do every week, you might have noticed this little tidbit that Grits caught last week.
[D]id anybody know TYC has already issued and closed an RFP to use contract care for kids aged 10-13? I sure didn’t see that reported. But the Register revealed the following RFP with deadline of June 4:
RFP#2007-31 To Provide for a Residential Program for Younger Offenders.
The Texas Youth Commission (TYC) is seeking proposals for a safe residential setting for male or female younger juvenile offenders who are between the ages of 10 through 13. The program should reflect as nearly as possible an environment that is developmentally appropriate to this age group. The program should be conducive to promoting positive behavioral changes in young juveniles. The program can be 48 beds or smaller located within the State of Texas.
Eligible applicants include corporations, private non-profit agencies, private for-profit agencies, or individuals. The TYC encourages historically underutilized businesses (HUBs) to respond to this request for proposal. Proposals must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time on June 4, 2007.
Proposals will be evaluated and selected based on the description of services, applicant’s qualifications and past experience, reasonableness and competitiveness of cost and resources, and applicant’s demonstrated ability to commence services on or after July 1, 2007 and before October 31, 2007.
More than one contract may be awarded.
[…]
The closing date for receipt of proposals is 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time on June 4, 2007.
That’s a pretty big deal, don’t you think, to get no more public notice than a Texas Register item? The contracts haven’t been let as of this morning, and the TYC employee in charge of the RFP said he needed to ask the attorneys before he could tell me who and how many applicants gave proposals. I requested that information and a copy of the RFP, so I’ll let you know more when I get it.
Grits has a followup here. Apparently, whoever wins this contract is supposed to start providing services by October 31 of this year. How such a thing could happen without any real public input or notice is mind-boggling. But here we are, with over a dozen vendors vying for these contracts (more than one may be awarded). Let’s hope a little sunlight gets shone on this process before it’s too late.