By Cliff McCollum
al.com
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama lawmakers put more than $41 million in state contracts on hold Friday, questioning spending on prison construction, outside consultants and a program that sends mobile career centers to schools.
A troika of Chrises presided over the Legislature’s Joint Contract Review Committee meeting: Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Josephine, serving as interim chairman; Speaker pro tem Chris Pringle, R- Mobile; and Rep. Chris England, D - Tuscaloosa.
Among the contracts held were a $26.6 million private prison reentry agreement, $4 million in construction management contracts and $3.4 million to operate two mobile workforce development vehicles.
The sharpest exchanges concerned Alabama’s prison construction program and the Department of Finance’s request for millions in contracts without identifying specific projects, questioning last-minute spending by Gov. Ivey’s administration.
Pringle objected to 10 proposed Department of Finance contracts worth $400,000 each for architectural and engineering services.
Finance officials said the agreements would provide services for department projects and allow other agencies to use the firms for smaller construction jobs.
Pringle wanted to know which projects would receive the money.
“I’m just not comfortable turning $4 million over to this administration as they’re going out the door given the history of their building in this state,” Pringle said.
“I don’t think a single project’s come on time or on budget.”
Pringle held all 10 contracts, telling Finance officials to contact him when they had specific projects needing the services.
Prison contract scrutiny
The Department of Corrections faced questions over a $200,000 contract with attorney Alina Fountain, who advises the department on public works contracting law.
The contract would cover work on prison construction projects in Elmore and Escambia counties.
Pringle criticized the state’s handling of the projects.
England questioned the need for more consulting fees without answers about construction costs, schedules and plans to move inmates.
Department representatives could not provide a completion date for the Elmore County prison or details about financing and transition plans.
England questioned spending another $200,000 on legal advice for a construction project he described as “probably completely out of control.”
“I called it a dumpster fire the other day,” England said.
The $1.25 billion Gov. Kay Ivey Correctional Complex in Elmore County missed its Oct. 15 completion deadline.
The Department of Corrections reported last month that the project was more than 85 percent complete.
The criticism followed an Oct. 29 letter from Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter calling for a full investigation into the Elmore County project and a halt to construction of the state’s second planned prison in Escambia County .
The Legislature originally authorized $1.3 billion for both prisons in 2021.
The combined cost is now projected to exceed $2 billion.
England also questioned how the incoming administration of Governor-elect Tommy Tuberville would handle the unfinished prisons and ongoing federal litigation.
“A new governor walks into the office, he’s going to be handed a billion dollar problem as soon as he walks in,” England said.
All three lawmakers placed holds on Fountain’s contract.
England also held a separate contract with Karen Rea, a member of the external monitoring team appointed in the federal Braggs lawsuit over mental health care in Alabama prisons.
He pressed department officials for estimates comparing the cost of settling the lawsuit with the costs of complying with court-ordered remedies.
England said the state had spent an estimated $40 million defending the case and questioned how much additional compliance could cost taxpayers.
A department representative said the case remained in its remedial phase, with further proceedings scheduled for March, but could not provide the requested estimates.
England also demanded plans for transferring inmates into the new prisons and managing the transition between administrations.
Millions for workforce buses
Elliott held a $3.4 million contract increase for ‘Be Pro Be Proud,’ a program that uses traveling vehicles to introduce students to skilled trades and industrial careers.
The state has already committed about $7 million to the program.
“Is this this bus thing again?” Elliott questioned.
Department of Education representative Tina Hammonds said the program had attracted nearly 17,000 visitors over 143 tour days.
Another 4,696 students had signed up to receive additional information about careers during their visits.
The proposed increase would fund two more years of operations for the program’s two vehicles.
Elliott questioned whether the money would purchase equipment or build new vehicles, and Hammonds replied it would pay for drivers, maintenance, transportation and the educational experiences inside the vehicles.
Elliott held the contract, citing questions from committee members who could not attend Friday’s meeting.
Program audits
The Department of Corrections also sought a $26.6 million contract with GEO Reentry Services to operate the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility, a private rehabilitation and reentry program.
The agreement would run for two years, with options to renew for up to five years.
Elliott held up the contract, saying other lawmakers needed more information about the program.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) also faced a hold on a $3.665 million increase to its contract with Columbia Telecommunications for work involving the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.
Elliott, a longtime critic of the BEAD program and its implementation, said questions remained about the agreement.
The Department of Insurance sought a $490,000 agreement with BDO Government Services to improve its handling of complaints and audits involving pharmacy benefit managers.
Insurance officials said the department received several hundred complaints monthly and needs outside expertise to improve its review process.
The department expects to recover the full cost from pharmacy benefit managers through licensing fees.
Elliott acknowledged that distinction but held the contract for further review.
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