"No Bid" - No More

Yet another questionable deal by New York City's Board of Education has come to light. The Board claim their “no bid” contract policy gets things done quicker and provides for a better curriculum. In fiscal year 2000, they approved 7 no-bid contracts for $693,000. In fiscal year 2007, 76 were approved for $72 million. In 2003, the Board of Ed came under Mayor Bloomberg’s control; except that the bidding process seems to be spiraling out of control. “No bid” contracts with the Department of Education, or with any city agency for that matter are “no good.” Often, money is wasted on deals with questionable contractors with poor monitoring and unfavorable results. Whether or not the school's “curriculum” improved by a factor of 100 like bid contract totals the past seven fiscal years is doubtful. The city’s bidding process for government contracts should be wide open to public scrutiny. All qualified bidders (Measured by dollars and details.) should be permitted to contest for all city contracts. New Yorker's are entitled to the most and the best for their money. Every penny of it.