The city’s Department of Education often failed to follow protocol in securing more than $340 million in no-bid contracts over three years, according to a new audit.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli chastised officials for awarding nearly 60 percent of no-bid contracts between 2005 and 2008 before they were approved by an internal contracts committee, which is authorized to review the deals.
He also faulted officials for failing to justify the need to award all of the 291 noncompetitive contracts during that period — findings that city Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum called “alarming.”
“This audit clearly shows that the DOE must be subject to the same procurement rules as other city agencies,” said Gotbaum, who had requested the audit.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein called the report “constructive” and said he would ask his staff to follow its recommendations.
He also noted that none of the contracts reviewed had been deemed “inappropriate.”