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

DiNapoli Announces State Contract and Payment Actions for April 2015

May 19, 2015

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today his office approved 1,204 contracts valued at $22.1 billion and approved more than 1.3 million payments worth more than $5.7 billion in April. His office also rejected 99 contracts and related transactions valued at $111 million and roughly 6,000 payments valued at nearly $13.2 million due to potential fraud, waste or other improprieties.

Cumulatively through April for calendar year 2015, DiNapoli’s office has approved 6,745 contracts valued at $28.3 billion and approved nearly 8 million payments worth more than $43.8 billion. His office has also rejected 723 contracts and related transactions valued at $2.3 billion and nearly 18,000 payments valued at more than $35.2 million.

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. These independent audits also help ensure payments are free from fraud, waste and improprieties. The Comptroller’s office averaged six days for contract reviews in April 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.

Major Contracts Approved

Department of Agriculture & Markets
  • $8.9 million in Agriculture and Farmland Protection Grants including $2.9 million to Cortland County and $2 million to the Finger Lakes Land Trust Inc.
Office of the State Comptroller
  • $2 million with JP Morgan Chase Bank NA for Securities Custodian services.
Department of Economic Development
  • $1.6 million with Mason Tillman Associates to conduct an MWBE Disparity Study.
Department of State
  • $2.3 million for seven Brownfield Opportunity Area grants including $862,000 for the city of Lackawanna.
Office of General Services
  • $33 million for 26 construction contracts at various correctional facilities including $14.8 million to repair cell block utilities at Great Meadow Correctional Facility and $5.2 million to replace security windows at Attica Correctional Facility.
Department of Health
  • $20.8 billion for seven Medicaid and Family Health Plus Managed Care Providers, including $7.7 billion to Affinity Health Plan, $3.7 billion to Hudson Health Plan Inc. and $2.4 million to Capital District Physicians Health Plan.
  • $565 million with Xerox State Healthcare LLC for Medicaid administrative services and fiscal agent services.
Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
  • $7.3 million for 11 Hazard Mitigation Grants, including $2.3 million to Port Authority of NY and NJ, $1.9 million to the state Canal Corp. and $1.6 million to the city of Long Beach.
Office of Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation
  • $10.8 million for 10 construction contracts, including $5.5 million with Scott Lawn Yard Inc. for Cave of the Winds Plaza reconstruction at the Niagara Falls State Park, and $3.7 million for the Letchworth State Park nature center.
Division of State Police
  • $1.8 million with Qiagen Inc. for DNA supplies and materials.
State University of New York (SUNY)
  • Upstate Medical University - $6.5 million with Laboratory Corporation of America for referenced laboratory services; and $439,000 with Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP for immigration-related legal services.
  • System Administration - $5.25 million with Hogan Lovells US LLP and $3.75 million with Dentons US LLP for special counsel services related to health and hospital programs. 
  • Albany - $2.3 million for a lease with 187 Wolf Road LLC, Colonie, Albany County.
  • Stony Brook - $1.25 million with Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP for immigration-related legal services.
Department of Transportation
  • $122.4 million for 10 contracts for tree removal, pruning and stump removal, statewide.
  • $24.4 million in construction work with EE Cruz & Company Inc. for the 151st Street Pedestrian Bridge over Henry Hudson Pkwy in NYC.
  • $22.2 million with Oakgrove Construction Inc. for Southern Tier Expressway I-86/NY-17 structural and pavement improvement, Cattaraugus County.

Major Payments Approved

Tax Refunds
  • $171.4 million for 126,000 personal income tax refunds.
  • $135.6 million for 14,000 corporate and other refunds.
  • $1.5 million for 5,000 property tax freeze credits.
State Payroll
  • $116.7 million for performance advances, salary increases and longevity payments to state employees, including members of CSEA, PEF, NYSCOPBA, Council 82, and other collective bargaining units.
Department of Agriculture & Markets
  • $884,000 to the American Dairy Assoc. to promote New York milk and milk products.
Office of Children and Family Services
  • $2.5 million to the city of New York to administer NYC day care registration.
Office of General Services
  • $496,000 to the Albany Convention Center Authority for the Albany Capital Center Project.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
  • $1.9 million to Lewis County and $600,000 to Chemung County for public safety interoperable communications.
New York State Legislature – Senate
  • $1.8 million to O’Connell & Aronowitz PC for legal fees related to the matter of former state Senator Joseph Bruno.
Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
  • $27.2 million in federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) benefits to assist more than 63,000 New Yorkers with home heating or heat-related emergencies.
Department of Transportation
  • $4 million to National Railroad Passenger Corp. for capacity improvements to the Hudson Line high speed rail.

Payment Rejections and Other Cost Recoveries

The Comptroller’s rejection of nearly 6,000 payments valued at nearly $13.2 million included nearly 4,000 tax refunds valued at more than $11.4 million. DiNapoli’s auditors also recovered more than $61,000 from vendors owing debts to the state, and held payments of more than $22,000 pending resolution of disputes between subcontractors and prime contractors.

Legislative Travel and Per Diem Expenses

Legislative travel and per diem expenses for calendar years 2013 and 2014, and year-to-date expenses through March 2015, are posted in the Comptroller's reading room. This information will be updated quarterly.

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.