April 9, 2018      5:16 PM

DMN: Michael Parks and two aides dismissed at HHSC after scoring errors scuttled 5 CHIP contracts

Meantime, Speaker Straus wants Approps to look into it at its April 18 hearing: "This is not a new concern...House committees have previously looked at ways to make state agencies' procurement practices more accountable, efficient, and transparent," Straus said

Here’s the latest from the story by Dallas Morning News reporter Bob Garrett:  

The state has canceled five new managed-care contracts for low-income youngsters enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program after finding errors in a spreadsheet used to evaluate bids.

In addition, the Health and Human Services Commission on Monday fired associate commissioner for procurement operations Michael Parks and two of his aides "for their involvement in this procurement," said commission spokeswoman Carrie Williams.

Gov. Greg Abbott, whose office held emergency meetings on the matter late last week, called the mistakes "unacceptable." In a letter asking two outside state entities to investigate, Abbott said that he has no reason to believe the agency's flubs were intentional. Nor, he said, has there been any suggestion of "malfeasance," such as purposeful preferences for some bidders over others.

Copyright April 09, 2018, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved