State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today his office approved 1,577 contracts valued at $1.2 billion and approved nearly 1.3 million payments worth $9.6 billion in January. His office also rejected 190 contracts and related transactions valued at $675 million and nearly 2,000 payments valued at $1.6 million due to fraud, waste or other improprieties.

As the state’s chief financial officer, DiNapoli’s office reviews contracts for all state agencies and 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 improprieties. The Comptroller’s office averages approximately 11 days for contract reviews and two days to audit payments.

DiNapoli releases 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.

Significant Transactions for January 2015:

Major Contracts Approved

Department of Environmental Conservation

• $17.6 million for 2 contracts with Cornell University to support the Hudson River Estuary Program.

Office of General Services

• $25 million for 17 construction contracts including $7.4 million with O’Connell Electric Co. to upgrade electrical distribution at Great Meadow Correctional Facility and $5.7 million with American Jail Products to replace windows at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.
• $4.3 million for 20 emergency construction contracts at state facilities including various correctional facilities, psychiatric facilities and SUNY facilities.

Department of Health

• $17.5 million with NYS Technology Enterprise Corporation to assist Medicaid providers with electronic health record technology.
• $4.6 million for 15 spinal cord research grants including $1.2 million to the Winifred Masterson Burke Medical Research Institute, $741,000 to the University of Rochester, $250,000 to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and $213,000 to Syracuse University.

Higher Education Services Corporation

• Three $21.3 million contracts for student loan collection services through Pioneer Credit Recovery, Performant Recovery and Continental Service Group.

Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

• $10.7 million with Shooting Range Industries for purchase of a weapons training complex.
• $3.3 million with the American Red Cross for emergency response preparedness.

Department of Motor Vehicles

• $3.1 million with Applus Technologies for an automated knowledge testing system.
• $1.7 million with National Industries for the Blind for mail and supply clerk services.

Office of Temporary and Disability Services

• $15.9 million for 18 grants for the Solutions to End Homelessness program, including $1.5 million each to: Unity House of Troy, Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, Cattaraugus Community Action, Brooklyn Community Housing and Services, Henry Street Settlement and Captain Youth and Family Services.

Thruway Authority

• $12.8 million with Kubricky Construction Corp. for pavement and culvert work, Orange County.
• $8.4 million with Yonkers Contracting Co. for pavement and other work, Westchester County.
• $3.1 million with Oakgrove Construction to rehab Interchange 57A in the Buffalo region.
• $1.3 million with Hardesty and Hanover Construction Services for construction inspection in the New York City region. 

Department of Transportation

• $80 million for 18 contracts for bridge-related work including:
  • $22.3 million with Lancaster Development and Tully Construction, and $2 million with Creighton Manning Engineering related to the Northway Exit 4 bridges replacement project.
  • $10.2 million with Iron Bridge Constructors for bridge rehabilitation over the Long Island Expressway in Riverhead.
  • $10 million with Perfetto Contracting Co. for the Hylan Blvd. bridges over the Staten Island Expressway.
  • $6.2 million with HNTB New York for bridge inspection in Bronx County.
  • $4.7 million with PCI International for bridge painting in Schenectady.
  • $4.2 million with D. A. Collins Co. for bridge preservation in Albany, Greene, Rensselaer and Warren counties.

Workers’ Compensation Board

• $11 million for 4 contracts for debt collection services (Windham Professionals, Pioneer Credit Recovery, Receivable Management Services Corp. and EOS CCA).

Major Payments Approved

Tax Refunds

• $114.1 million for 34,000 personal income tax refunds.
• $173.6 million for 15,000 corporate and other refunds.
• $44.5 million for 383,000 property tax freeze credits.

Department of Economic Development

• $511,000 to Western NY Technology Development to increase the competitiveness of NYS companies through Regional Technology Development Centers.

Department of Education

• $520,000 to Lingualinx Language Solutions Inc. for translations of Common Core learning standards.

Department of Health

• $933,000 to Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research for stem cell research.
• $339,000 to the Food Bank of Central New York for the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program.

New York State Legislature - Assembly

• $51,000 to Rossein Associates and $5,000 to Roemer Wallens Gold & Mineaux LLP for outside counsel for sexual harassment investigations and policy development.

New York State Legislature - Senate

• $6,000 to Loeb & Loeb LLP for legal services including special counsel related to the Moreland Commission for the Independent Democratic Conference.

Olympic Regional Development Authority

• $500,000 to the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority for the Belleayre Ski Mountain project.

Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

• $1.1 million to Young Adult Institute Inc. and $208,000 to Yedei Chesed Inc. for family support services.

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

• $26 million in federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefits to assist approximately 54,000 low-income New Yorkers with home heating or heat-related emergencies.

Department of Transportation

• $3 million to National Railroad Passenger Corp. for signal improvements to the Hudson Line high speed rail.

Payment Rejections and Other Cost Recoveries

The Comptroller’s rejection of nearly 2,000 payments valued at nearly $1.6 million included more than 50 tax refunds valued at nearly $147,000. DiNapoli’s auditors also recovered nearly $122,000 from vendors owing debts to the state, and held payments of more than $290,000 pending resolution of disputes between subcontractors and prime contractors.

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.