State will investigate no-bid contracts

AUGUSTA – Some $29 million in contracts awarded by the state without competitive bidding are being investigated to make sure taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.

The Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee ordered the review of “cooperative agreements” by the state controller’s office to see whether sufficient controls are in place. Last year, the controller’s audit division reviewed some of the state’s 138 cooperative agreements and found some problems. The latest probe is to look more deeply into those agreements.

Many of the no-bid agreements are between the state Health and Human Services Department and the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service. State law allows such agreements.