BULLETIN: Rutgers slams NJ’s lack of contractor oversight
A report by researchers at Rutgers University’s Department of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and Department of Public Policy and Administration says the state administration’s “significant neglect” of reviewing the performance of private contractors costs lives.
“Recent events highlight the urgency of this issue. Failure to properly oversee the contractors responsible for the Department of Corrections’ Residential Community Release program resulted in the death of innocent people. More recently, the failure to properly manage the administration of recovery funds following Hurricane Sandy delayed needed aid to Sandy victims for many months and led to millions of dollars in unexplained costs.” the research report–entitled “Overlooking Oversight”– concluded.
The report concentrated on four areas:
“ • A lack of contract monitoring at DCF’s Division of Child Protection andPermanency (DCPP) leaves children vulnerable to being served by inadequate providers.
“• Lack of oversight at DHS’s Department of Developmental Disabilities led to substantial waste of taxpayer money with little assurance that services for which the state has contracted are being provided
“• Lack of oversight at DOC’s Residential Community Release Program (RCRP)