No-bid contracts were the bane of the Chris Epps scandal as the then-MDOC Commissioner awarded approximately $4 billion in no-bid contracts. However, current MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain has awarded four consecutive emergency no-bid contracts worth nearly $300 million to the same company.
Centurion of Mississippi had a contract to provide healthcare services to MDOC prisoners. Centurion notified MDOC it was terminating the contract on July 30, 2020. Commissioner Cain declared an emergency existed:
The Commissioner executed a contract with VitalCore Health Strategies on August 12. VitalCore CEO Viola Riggins signed the contract for her company. The one-year contract term ran from October 6, 2020 to October 5, 2021.
MDOC paid VitalCore $56 million during the contract.
2021 rolled around with Mr. Cain passing out another emergency contract to the medical services provider. Ms. Riggins and the Commissioner signed another one-year emergency contract in October 2021.
The contract was based on a population floor of 17,300 inmates. The emergency declaration stated MDOC would pay Vital Core a per diem rate of $8.90 per inmate. MDOC paid Vital Core $66 million during the second emergency contract.
One might be remiss in thinking Commissioner Cain might bid out the contract after two years of emergency declarations, right? Wrong. The MDOC Commissioner declared another emergency existed. The declaration stated:
MDOC is continuing the process of conducting a solicitation for competitive sealed proposals to provide comprehensive inmate healthcare services. Due to the complexity of the services, MDOC is entering a third emergency agreement to continue vital services provided by VitalCore Health Strategies. MDOC has consulted with legal, medical, and mental health professionals to provide expert opinions and directions in the preparation of the Request for Proposals to ensure all aspects of the solicitation are addressed thoroughly.... The additional year will ensure ample time is available to review and evaluate all proposals, finalize and award a contract. VitalCore and MDOC have agreed to the term of this emergency agreement for one (1) year; however, MDOC anticipates finalizing this procurement in under one (1) year. At the point, a new vendor is awarded both parties have agreed to a transition period and to terminate the emergency agreement.
The contract increased the per diem per day amount to $14.56 per inmate. The dynamic duo executed the contract in October 2022. MDOC paid $94 million during the contract term but more services were added to the contract as well.
The emergency declaration stated the contract extension would give MDOC another year to issue an RFP and evaluate proposals. However, no RFP was issued so Commissioner Cain issued a fourth emergency declaration and awarded yet another one-year emergency contract to Vital Core in 2023. The contract term is October 6, 2023 to October 5, 2024. The contract amount is $100 million but the state has only paid $82 million through September 1, 2024.
MDOC paid Vital Core $298 million under the four emergency contracts.
MDOC finally issued an RFP in December 2023. A committee evaluated bids from Centurion, Wexford Health Services, and VitalCore. Committee members were James Craig (MSHD, Ret.), Catherine Brett (Medicaid), John Haire (Ms. Dept. of Mental Health), Jewerski Mallett (MDOC), and Derrick Garner (MDOC).
The agency selected VitalCore. MDOC RFP process for healthcare contract
MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain did not return a call asking for comment.
59 comments:
And???
omg. Please tell me this is a joke
"2nd verse, same as the FIRST! I’m ‘enery the eighth I am"
Shad, if you’re looking for a truly big case to go after, here’s one on a silver platter.
MDOC is a train wreck. The guy running the place is ready for the nursing home. I also would like to question DFA. Why did DFA allow the contracts? They are the oversight entity. I am pretty sure the Gov told them to allow it.
I should have included that part. I spoke to DFA. DFA has no authority to reject the contract. All the agency director has to do is make an emergency declaration and DFA’s hands are tied.
Well there you go. Mississippi for you. I knew there was something because DFA would have flatly denied it.
Vitalcore low balled the cost to get the contract because they suck. So many have died under their care.
Make Epps look like an amateur
Low balled the cost
Now you comment-taters are messing with my hustle! If you got a problem with the hustle talk to my boss!!!
In Mississippi we don’t learn from our mistakes-we simply repeat them but on a larger scale.
The Governor needs to look into the spending practices, hiring practices, salaries, experience, life and safety issues at MDOC. You see a lot of amazing pictures that bring very little value for the hundreds of millions allocated to MDOCC. Just look at the health inspection reports and how many have died from what they call natural causes since VitalCore has been the contractor. MDOC fired all the medical compliance staff so nobody knows what the company is or is not doing. Maybe that’s what the state wants for half a billion dollars.
Has anyone taken a look at the money outflow from VitalCore? Where does their money go that isn't spent on inmate care?
That 55-gal drum of palm grease never dries up.
Is this a bug or a feature of Mississippi governance?
“If it smells like a duck, it’s a duck” something stinks about this!
October 22, 2024 at 10:27 AM
Both.
The State requires a lot of paperwork and approval for seemingly minor purchases and routine maintenance expenditures and yet millions of dollars can be spent with hardly any approval (DHS/TANF, emergency prison contracts, etc).
One emergency contract - I can understand that. That would give you a year to do bids. So, no, multiple emergency contracts isn't the way to go.
10:19 why would the Governor look? Then the game plan has to change!
This will never end. Its like hiring a fox to protect the hen house.
All of our useless leaders on both sides of the aisle care about is getting rich.
There are no public servants left.
Right Shad?
Guess you have a point
I'm too dumb to know, but is there no oversight or checks and balances to prevent this?
Or do we just have to pray that KF never dies, since no other journos bother to report anymore?
Why can't people understand that Mississippi money going to the use and benefit of the poor or the politically unconnected will always be the target of those who are well connected. Prisoners and poor children are lucky if they get half of what is actually allocated. This is nothing new. It's actually been worse but nobody listens to prisoners or poor children. If they get screwed, who cares? USM gets a volleyball stadium, what's next?
A lot of native Louisianans on vital corps payroll.
Has Shad White ignored this?!?
Overall MDOC under Director Caine is in the best shape it’s been in years. Caine has basically had to reorganize from top to bottom. And if the state justice system is going to continue to house prisoners the state must offer medical care.
I'll do the work for less-
What is there for him to get?
A million here and a million there and pretty soon we are talking about real money. Right?
Good ol' boys will good ol' boy.
"The Governor needs to look into the spending practices..." Don't hold your breath. He's a lame duck who's already made his. Why should he bother?
Somebody get the producers of American Greed on the phone. They might want to plan another trip to Mississippi.
Cane is aligned with so many nonprofit organizations and this contract can be subcontracted to nonprofits should have ALL of us worried that there is money being funneled to organizations that are less accountable in how they report the funds being used. Prison Fellowship Ministry provides reentry services, which can be subcontracted through the grant Vitalcore received.
11:36, you are correct the state must provide medical care, no one disputes that. But you completely miss the point; the medical care should be procured fairly and ethically.
A lot of inmates die because they are old, have not lived a healthy life prior to their being incarcerated (think of the nature of the population) and don't give a damn about their future of life in the pokey. Before you make your damning statement that they died due to this company's care you should check the statistics for inmate deaths prior to VitalCore. The actual number of deaths from natural causes hasn't been statistically higher these years than the rate of the previous decade.
great, if you are qualified - but I'll bet you don't have an idea of what is required, much less have the ability to do it.
There is no excuse for thsi to happen. They had 3 years to get an RFP ready. That tells you the ineptitude of the employees who work for MDOC.
It appears that the emergency contracts issued were all for a rate similar to (once the additions to the services to be provided are accounted for) the cost resulting from the bids. And the low and best bidder is the same company that provided the service under the emergency created in 2020 (within a couple of months of Cain taking over the agency, at the height of the COVID crisis). Interesting that the company that pulled out of their contract mid-term chose to bid for the contract today; besides the fact that their bid was rated third of three, I wouldn't take them back at this time under any circumstance.
Lots of folks bitching here about the emergency contracts but probably none that have had to go through the process of putting together an RFP of this nature and dealing with the State Procurement Board's policies. I would agree that it should have been done this time last year, questioning the fourth 'emergency' renewal, but looking at contracts throughout state and local governments for continuation of a complex service, I think this is really not that unusual
Funny how you attack some agencies yet protect others such as DPS and CZAR Sean Tindell. If there is a problem with emergency no-bid contracts the legislature should abolish the statute allowing such. Until then, it is authorized by law.
Mississippi taxpayers deserve so much more from elected officials. How could this happen after the Epps scandal? Were there no controls put in place that would sound the alarm for abuse? And please don't tell me we don't have the funding. Emergency Contracts begin at $75K...Not only for MDOC but all agencies. Emergency Contracts DO NOT require approval. Let me say that again. Emergency Contracts DO NOT require approval. ? It's time to shine the light on our beloved Mississippi and start taking care of ALL people.
Check your facts 1:59pm. Vital corps has no clue what they are doing? And heavens forbid your medication costs more than they want to spend.
That’s not saying a lot at all. I will say he is making prison comfortable for a select few of inmate, particular those who are white men. He starts programs that no data is provided on, and he spends a lot of taxpayer money and has gotten very little for it. Give any former commissioner the budget he has had and see what happens.
Vital corpse does intake for a fee and have done virtually nothing to expedite or streamline the process. Jails are backed up and staff has lost their jobs. Vital Corpse can and does pay their people more than the state to do less work. And and most are from Louisiana. Cathy FonteNOT is the director of intake.
MDOC = no education or real experience needed to get a job
Who will monitor the contract work so much money for Mississippi ?
Follow the money and work of those contracts right under $75K at MDOC AND other agencies. And why is the leadership at the facilities policy makers not diversified?
Don’t be surprised 4 years from now when the feces hits the fan.
MDOC IS A SHIT SHOW. LOOK AT THE LEADERSHIP FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. Then look into what the staffing issues are now with a larger budget vs what they were with smaller budgets. Mississippi needs to de-carcerate and the parole board needs to do their jobs. Marshall county has 900 inmates and less than 60 officers and rank
How is the Chief medical officer for MDOC not part of the evaluation committee? So there seems to be partnership.
Looks like cost was the deciding factor between those who bid. Wonder how the winner will cut cost and corners now that they have the contract in a state where obesity is the norm and being unhealthy is a way of life.
Look, all hillbillies commenting on this blog, i am boss hog and I run this facility! Y’all know damn well I can’t do a damn thing without the approval from the top Hog. Now we both are lame ducks and I’ll see you on the bayou in a couple of years on my yacht! Ye haw
The evaluation committee the Public Procurement Office, part of the State Personnel Commission. The group of individuals that did the evaluation were not 'picked' for this particular contract but were put in place months/years ago to do these types evaluations.
Let's go to work on this Shad
Auditor's all jammed up catching the low hanging fruit and writing press releases?
Never let an emergency go to waste.
Darn, I didn't post a "low hanging fruit comment in 3, 2, 1" in time.
Thus far, no allegation of a crime being committed. I'm willing to give him a a chance to explain why no bid contracts were used. He did have an absolute mess to clean up.
Where’s Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption when you need him?
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