Audit Finds Corrections Services Failed to Follow State Bid Law with Renovation Project

Auditors evaluating the Department of Public Safety and Corrections found that Corrections Services did not comply with the state’s public bid law for a renovation project involving a building next to its headquarters, the Legislative Auditor said in a report released today.

Corrections officials, who were acting on behalf of the Louisiana Correctional Facilities Authority, presumed that bidding was not required based on the Louisiana Procurement Code, auditors said. However, the renovations were considered a public works project, so public bid law requirements applied, rather than the Procurement Code. In addition, auditors found that Corrections officials relied on an executive order from the Jindal administration that improperly authorized the use of inmate labor on the renovation project.

Corrections officials also did not properly let architectural services for the renovation project, auditors said. Contracts for architects, engineers, and landscape architects must be let through a Request for Qualifications process and must use the various licensing boards for the professions. Because officials did not follow public bid law requirements, not all architectural firms were notified of the project.

Auditors looked at transactions and procedures related to movable property, non-payroll expenditures for Prison Enterprises, professional services contracts, and sheriff’s housing payments as well. No problems were found.