1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. DiNapoli Announces State Contract & Payment Actions for January 2014

Main Banner

NEWS from the Office of the New York State Comptroller
Contact: Press Office 518-474-4015

        

DiNapoli Announces State Contract & Payment Actions for January 2014

February 25, 2014

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today his office reviewed 2,126 contracts valued at $13.9 billion and approved more than 1.5 million payments worth more than $10 billion in January 2014. His office also rejected 191 contract transactions valued at $348.7 million and 1,735 payments valued at nearly $1.1 million due to fraud, was

As the state’s chief financial officer, DiNapoli’s office reviews contracts for all state agencies, certain contracts for state public authorities and audits all state payments. This independent review ensures that costs are reasonable, the playing field is level and taxpayers get the best value for their money. The independent audits ensure payments are free from fraud, waste and other improprieties. The Comptroller’s office averages 11 to 13 days for contract reviews.

DiNapoli began releasing this monthly notice to provide current information about the number and types of contracts and payments entered into by the state. This builds on his commitment to added transparency via his Open Book New York website.

The highlights for January 2014 include:

Major Contract Approvals

Department of Health – Youth Tobacco Access
  • Approved $9.5 million contract with the NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs to monitor compliance with youth tobacco access laws.
Office of General Services – Sale of Surplus Properties
  • Approved a $6.6 million contract for the sale of 470 East 161st St., Bronx, to Bluestone Partners LLC.
  • Approved a $900,000 contract for the sale of Harriet Tubman Residential Center in Cayuga County to CNY Realty Development Co. LLC.
  • Approved a $140,000 contract for the sale of Lyon Mountain Correctional Facility, Clinton County, to 2825902 Canada Inc.
Department of Environmental Conservation – Land Purchase
  • Approved a $1.6 million contract to purchase 590 acres in the towns of Shandakan and Hardenburgh from the Nature Conservancy.
Department of Transportation – Highway Construction
  • Approved a $41.1 million contract to replace bridges over the New York Power Authority reservoir, Niagara County, with Oakgrove Construction Inc.
  • Approved a $9.6 million contract to pave a portion of I-495 in North Hempstead with Tully Construction.
  • Approved a $5.3 million contract for bridge rehabilitations in Albany and Schenectady counties with Reale Construction Company Inc.
NYS Thruway Authority - Flood Mitigation
  • Approved a $28.8 million contract for bridge and pavement rehabilitation and flood mitigation in Orange and Rockland counties with Ecco III Enterprises Inc.
Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services – Hurricane Damages
  • Approved three contracts for $5.1 million with Essex County to buy and demolish property in eight communities damaged by Hurricane Irene.
  • Approved a contract for $1.8 million with the town of Middleburgh to buy and demolish seven properties damaged by Hurricane Irene.
SUNY - Solar Power
  • Approved a $2.5 million contract with Solar City Corp. to construct and operate solar voltaic electrical systems for SUNY Cortland.
New York State Assembly
  • Approved two contracts totaling $205,000 for outside counsel related to sexual harassment policy development and investigations with Rossein Associates.

Major Payments Approved

  • Approved $43 million in college and university Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) payments to help eligible New York students.
  • Approved $17 million for snow removal, road salt and de-icing supplies for New York’s roads and bridges.
  • Approved $30 million in federal HEAP benefits to assist 57,500 low-income New Yorkers with home- heating costs and emergencies. 
  • Approved $2 million of the $5 million allotted for New York tourism events during Super Bowl week.

Contract and Payment Rejections

The Comptroller’s office rejected 191 contract transactions valued at $348.7 million because they lacked the required verifications and rejected 1,735 payments valued at $1.1 million due to fraud, waste and other improprieties.

Open Book New York

For access to billions of dollars in state and local government spending and nearly 50,000 state contracts, visit http://www.openbooknewyork.com/. The easy-to-use website was created by Comptroller DiNapoli to promote openness in government and provide taxpayers with better access to the financial workings of government.