Legislators delay approval of Alabama Department of Education contracts

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, walks across the floor of the Alabama Senate on April 16, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. Roberts raised concerns about sole source contracts Thursday. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

An Alabama legislative committee held back approval of a number of education-related state contracts on Thursday amid concerns that they were “sole source,” where the contract was not opened to public bidding but offered to a single company.

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, chair of the Alabama Contract Review Committee, said that there were multiple questions about the Department of Education contracts, but education contracts were not the only ones held back that day.

“I think we’re going to probably hold all of yours that are sole source today,” he said. “We’re going to meet with our group in a week and a half, and then we’ll get back to you on that.”

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The State Department of Education did not immediately have an on the record comment when a message was left with a spokesperson Thursday afternoon.

Tina Hammonds, counsel and government relations director with the education department, said that one of the contracts, related to career development and continuing education, had been developed over years in collaboration with one company to be more Alabama specific.

“I’m a year and a half into it, but I believe that we’re at the point now that this is the only company that has developed this,” she said.

The committee also heard details of a contract for training materials and professional development. The committee also held contracts that would support English language learning students and data literacy.

Lawmakers had concerns about the argument that the programs were handled as  sole source contracts because the state has a history of collaboration with a single vendor.

Hammonds said the department normally makes its bidding process, known as requests for proposals, open to all potential bidders, but in some cases had special needs. For example, the department had a change in leadership for career and technical education, so it wanted to continue with their current vendor for the school year.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Roberts said that they are trying to be mindful of the state’s spending and be more efficient.

“We’re trying to make it so that we’re truly competitive,” he said. “We’re trying to watch all the spending of the state because hard times are ahead at some point.”

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