Canteen Monitors

The Department of Corrections currently has a contract for the operation of the inmate canteens located within the confines of correctional facilities. This includes compound, visiting park and satellite facility canteens as well as providing canteen items to inmates housed in close management and confinement areas. In addition, the contractor must also provide quarterly clothing request.

The department established a bi-annual monitoring schedule and assigned one employee to conduct site visits at each facility. This employee served as a liaison between the contractor's staff and the department staff to assist and resolve daily operational concerns. The site visit included a physical inspection of all canteen/warehouse space assigned to the contractor and verification of all contract requirements. A written report documenting the findings was completed and submitted to the contract manager. The contractor was not responsible for providing any written responses for the noncompliant findings. Any serious noncompliant issues identified at the time of the site visit were reported to the contract manager and corrective action was taken when both parties reached an agreement. Menu fill rates were checked by comparing the orders submitted by the contractor's staff to the receiving reports. This procedure often established that the contractor had failed to provide all items required for the menu and confirmed that many items were only purchased if the contractor could make a "special purchase" from a specific manufacturer. It was also determined that new menu items were frequently not shipped to the facilities for months after the new menu was approved and posted.

The department acknowledges the lack of regulatory procedures in the original contact and has subsequently posted ITB #06-DC-7717. In this contract, the department has established a monthly contract-monitoring schedule for each facility canteen with written reports to be provided to the contractor. A corrective action plan must then be submitted to the contract manager within a specified time frame. Any failure by the contractor to achieve any standard listed in the ITB may result in the assessment of liquidated damages.

The following are a few of the areas of the contract that must be verified by the contract monitor on a monthly basis.

The contractor shall:

• Maintain staffing at each major facility (hours of work to be established by the warden).
• Pay for phone lines (outside and lines to canteens).
• Provide office equipment and supplies.
• Provide all warehouse receiving and delivery equipment.
• Provide bags for close management inmate deliveries.
• Maintain a minimum of 98% of the canteen menu in each facility canteen (canteens at each facility, minimum of 1, maximum of 10).
• Provide a formal corrective action plan within 10 days of receipt of the department's monitoring report.

At this time, there are 360 canteens located throughout the state that must be monitored on a monthly basis. It is no longer feasible for one employee to perform all duties required to comply with the stipulations of this contract. The department requests 5 positions to monitor this contract. Each of these positions will require office space, office equipment, laptop computer, cell phone and a vehicle for travel.