OPEA

Office of Juvenile Affairs Director Gene Christian announced today at press conference OJA’s intent to sign and award a contract with the Ada Youth Academy Authority. The contract to be signed on December 6, 2010 includes the construction and operation of a 144 bed youth academy located in the City of Ada as well as construction of 56 maximum secure beds at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center (COJC) in Tecumseh which will replace beds lost upon the closing of the L.E. Rader Center.

According to Director Christian the Youth Academy to be located in Ada will be a non-secure facility owned by the community of Ada. Also according to Christian, Rite of Passage has been selected by Ada as the vendor to operate the proposed charter school. All current and future beds located at COJC will continue to be state operated and the 56 new beds will house the OJA Diagnostic and Evaluation Center, Intensive Treatment Program, Sex Offender Unit and Segregation Unit. The funding for these beds will come from the Ada Youth Academy Authority and OJA will have a lease purchase over 20 years.

Upon Director Christian’s announcement several members of the press began expressing their concern over the RFP process used by OJA. According to Christian they utilized a best value process which did not have specific requirements vendors had to meet. Instead OJA asked the proposed vendors to show how they could best meet the needs of the agency such as non-secure beds to help alleviate a 30 youth waiting list.

OPEA executive director Sterling Zearley was present at the conference and expressed his concern as to whether this type of best value process allowed for an adequate comparison of vendors. “With no consistency of information in each bid it makes it difficult to determine which vendor could best provide services,” stated Zearley. Zearley asked whether these bids would be available for the public to view and Director Christian stated the bids will not be made available to the public until the contract is signed December 6, 2010.

Members of the press then began questioning whether Director Christian had intent of insuring the contract be awarded to Ada Youth Academy Authority so that Rite of Passage could operate the charter school. They showed concern over meetings in which Director Christian verified he discussed Rite of Passage with Senator and construction consultant Harry Coates and lobbyist Hayley Atwood. Director Christian stated these meetings took place during the 2010 legislative session.

“OPEA is very concerned over this RFP process,” stated OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. “This process was designed to be fair and not give a bidder an advantage yet involvement of certain legislators, lobbyists and private companies indicate there may have been a predetermined outcome.” As a result of these issues OPEA has issued a press release expressing its concern and encouraging unsuccessful bidders to exhaust all their options. OPEA will continue to look into these allegations and has also asked its law firm to look into the issue.