By Adam Pagnucco.
Two and a half months after CASA, an immigrant rights group, blew itself up with a statement on Israel’s war against Hamas that provoked widespread condemnation and the defection of one of its largest private funders, the administration of County Executive Marc Elrich has proposed an additional non-competitive award to the group for $338,500. The award is on the county council’s agenda tomorrow and is scheduled for both introduction and passage.
CASA has long had non-competitive contracts with the county. Its longest-running active non-competitive contract dates back to FY04. Additionally, the county has approved a non-competitive $5 million appropriation for CASA relating to a 99-year lease for CASA on a county-owned building in Rockville. The newest non-competitive award adds $338,500 to an existing $450,000 contract that “provides for bilingual, ethnically and culturally relevant health care and social navigation services for recently arrived migrant and asylum-seeking youth and families (Newcomers).” If passed by the council, the modified contract would total $788,500 in FY24.
CASA has several entities: a tax deductible 501(c)(3) that receives private and government contracts and contributions; a 501(c)(4) that is not tax deductible and acts as a social welfare organization; and a Super PAC that participates in elections. The entities rely on common personnel. The 501(c)(3), which contracts with county government, has lobbied in the past and email addresses associated with its website were used to register the Super PAC. Elrich has been endorsed by CASA’s political arm on several occasions.
The county government frequently uses non-competitive contracts. Sec. 11B-14 of the county code lays out the process by which they are awarded.
(a) A contract may be awarded without competition if the Chief Administrative Officer makes a written determination that the contract award serves a public purpose and:
(1) there is only one source for the required goods, service, or construction which can meet the minimum valid needs of the County, including timeliness of performance;
(2) the contract is in connection with potential or pending litigation, condemnation, or collective bargaining;
(3) a proposed contractor or subcontractor has been specifically identified in a grant accepted by the County; or
(4) a proposed contractor has been identified in an appropriation resolution approved by the Council.
Is CASA truly the only entity capable of performing these services? Has the county ever tried to locate another one through open competition?
The new money is on the council’s consent calendar for tomorrow. Items on the consent calendar are normally introduced and/or passed without discussion. Furthermore, this particular item is scheduled for introduction and action, meaning that it could be passed immediately.
CASA’s statement on Israel and Hamas prompted intense discussions on whether the group should continue to receive government funding, or at least, whether it should be audited. There is also the issue of whether specific groups should receive many consecutive years of non-competitive contracts. The FY24 budget resolution is full of them and CASA is just one group of many that gets them.
Will any attention be paid to these issues? Or is it back to business as usual?