http://www.hd31.org/blog.php?title=An-Example-of-Legalized-Corruption
We in construction trades do not want preferential treatment, but fair competition.
The only thing stopping it is "Purchasing Cooperatives", and administrators who are either uninformed, or corrupt.
MUCH RESPECT to Rep. Murphey for standing up for us, and taxpayers across this country.
Jason Murphey's Blog.
POSTS FROM REPRESENTATIVE MURPHEY's BLOG
An Example of Legalized Corruption
Almost one year ago, Senator Clark Jolley asked me to assist him in bringing
an end to what appeared to be a practice of legalized corruption. Having worked
with Jolley on numerous modernization and efficiency measures, I have learned to
pay close attention to his concerns. He frequently proposes cost saving and
efficiency reforms, and his proposals are taken very seriously by the
Legislature. Jolley had received reports from whistleblowers who exposed
extremely disturbing abuses and he wanted to work on legislation to stop the
practice.
Jolley's request started an intense one-year saga to remedy one of the worst abuses of the taxpayer dollar that I have seen. That saga continues to this day.
Let me tell you about this horrific abuse known as sole-source specing.
Voters within a school district or municipality approve a massive bond issue calling for the construction of new buildings without realizing they have just contributed to legalized corruption. Flush with cash, the benefiting governing board hires design professionals to specify which materials are to be used in the new project.
The designers present the governing board with grandiose plans that highlight the inclusion of expensive features. It's all too easy for gullible board members to approve these plans because they are after all spending other peoples' money. These designers then draw the specifications so tightly that only one supplier can provide the expensive features. In this way, competition is eliminated and the supplier can charge exponentially more than would otherwise be paid because the competitive bidding process has been eliminated. In some cases, the project designer may actually allow the sales engineer for a product manufacturer to write the specification so that only that one product qualifies.
Sole-source specing has long-term implications.
More: http://www.hd31.org/blog.php?title=An-Example-of-Legalized-Corruption
Jolley's request started an intense one-year saga to remedy one of the worst abuses of the taxpayer dollar that I have seen. That saga continues to this day.
Let me tell you about this horrific abuse known as sole-source specing.
Voters within a school district or municipality approve a massive bond issue calling for the construction of new buildings without realizing they have just contributed to legalized corruption. Flush with cash, the benefiting governing board hires design professionals to specify which materials are to be used in the new project.
The designers present the governing board with grandiose plans that highlight the inclusion of expensive features. It's all too easy for gullible board members to approve these plans because they are after all spending other peoples' money. These designers then draw the specifications so tightly that only one supplier can provide the expensive features. In this way, competition is eliminated and the supplier can charge exponentially more than would otherwise be paid because the competitive bidding process has been eliminated. In some cases, the project designer may actually allow the sales engineer for a product manufacturer to write the specification so that only that one product qualifies.
Sole-source specing has long-term implications.
More: http://www.hd31.org/blog.php?title=An-Example-of-Legalized-Corruption
