Press Release  OIG Investigation Finds that Former EEC Commissioner Steered $2.1 Million Contract to Specific Firm

Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro shared findings of an OIG investigation into the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)’s procurement of consulting services in a letter sent today to Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. The investigation found that a former EEC commissioner conducted an unfair and non-competitive procurement when hiring an educational consulting firm that was ultimately paid over $2.1 million for “strategic planning services.”

The investigation was initiated in response to a hotline complaint which alleged that former EEC commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy steered the procurement for consulting services in favor of a consulting firm with whom Aigner-Treworgy worked in her previous role as chief of early learning for the city of Chicago.

“Procurement rules exist to ensure that state contracts are awarded fairly and that all qualified vendors have a fair chance to bid. In this instance, EEC’s process for procuring strategic planning services through a request for proposals (RFP) was not competitive, and there was clear favoritism,” IG Shapiro said.

The OIG determined that EEC’s procurement of the strategic planning services contract with the consulting firm violated 801 CMR 21.06, Competitive Procurement Standards, in multiple capacities, and that Aigner-Treworgy conducted the procurement process with the clear preconceived intent of selecting the consulting firm as the vendor. Witnesses involved in the procurement process stated that the commissioner had a “clear vision” as to which vendor she planned to award the contract, and the OIG’s findings support the allegations that the selection was predetermined.

The OIG found that EEC did not advertise its RFP for strategic planning services for a commercially reasonable period; the parties engaged in exclusive communications outside of the formal RFP process; and EEC employees involved in procuring the services had no training or experience in conducting procurements.

The OIG recommended that the Executive Office of Education (EOE) comply with Executive Order 533 which directs executive branch departments and agencies to appoint a chief procurement officer and to ensure those officers receive appropriate training. 

“We are pleased to learn that the Secretary and his leadership team have since implemented changes to the procurement policies and procedures at EOE. We look forward to working with them to understand these changes and to ensure that proper procurement procedures are in place, a procurement officer has been designated and properly trained,” IG Shapiro said. 

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