State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today his office reviewed 1,962 contracts valued at $2.9 billion and approved nearly 1.2 million payments worth nearly $12.9 billion in September. His office also rejected 200 contracts and related transactions valued at $1.3 billion and nearly 1,500 payments valued at nearly $7.4 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 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.

Highlights for September 2014:

Major Contracts Approved

Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services 

• $173.2 million for 19 grants to provide chemical dependency services in NYC. 

Superstorm Sandy Block Grants

• $11.2 million in grants from the Department of Health and the Offices of Aging, Children and Family Services, Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services and Temporary and Disability Services. 

Office of General Services—Division of Military and Naval Affairs

• $42.3 million in construction contracts to provide alterations to the DMNA Readiness Center at the State Street Armory in New York City.  

Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

• $3 million grant for occupational health and safety training to New York City.
• $448,000 for post-Hurricane Irene property elevation to the village of Babylon. 
• $378,000 for post-Hurricane Irene property elevation to the village of Mamaroneck.

Department of Environmental Conservation

• $68.4 million cooperative agreement with Suffolk County and the Army Corp of Engineers for the Fire Island and Moriches Inlet stabilization project.
• $4 million with Sealand Enviro LLC for remediating contaminated soil at the former Duso Chemical site in Poughkeepsie. 
• $3.9 million with TRS Group Inc. for remediating contaminated soil at the Erdle Perforating Company and former Dinaburg Distributing sites in Rochester.  

Department of Transportation

• $39.2 million to Grace Industries LLC for rehabilitation of Route 347, Suffolk County. 

Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

• $34.4 million for 39 grants for family support services statewide. 

State Police

• $1.7 million to Flightsafety International Inc. for Bell Helicopter flight training.  

SUNY Purchase 

• $1 million revenue contract with the New York City Football Club for use of the campus as a training facility in exchange for revenue and improvements.

Major Payments Approved

Tax Refunds

• $146.2 million for 57,300 personal income tax refunds. 
• $279.7 million for 25,300 for corporate and other refunds. 

Department of Transportation

• $7 million to Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors for bridge rehabilitation on Interstate 84 in Orange and Pike Counties in New York and Pennsylvania.
• $6.3 million to the City of New York for rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge.
• $2.1 million to CCA Civil for reconstruction of the Staten Island Expressway.
• $1.5 million to Barrett Paving Materials Inc. for Rt. 434 road repairs in the town of Vestal.

State University of New York

• $5.4 million to Boilermatic Welding Industries Inc. for a chiller plant at SUNY Stony Brook.
• $2 million to Pitts Management Associates Inc. for consulting services.
• $78,000 to Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Lason for legal services related to Long Island College Hospital.

Office of General Services

• $1.5 million to Murnane Building Contractors to renovate Building 5 at the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany.
• $602,000 to Sunshine Environmental Services Inc. for hazardous material abatement of Building 5 of the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany.

Office of Children and Family Services

• $2.5 million to New York City for administering day care registration.

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

• $1.9 million to JP Morgan Electronic Financial Services to provide electronic benefit transfer services.

Statewide Financial System

• $1.5 million to Metaformers Inc. for consultant services. 

Gaming Commission

• $1.3 million to Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP for gaming advisory services related to the selection of applicants to develop and operate a casino.
• $618,000 to St. Lawrence County from Tribal State Compact money from the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino.

New York State Assembly

• $35,000 to Whiteman Osterman and Hanna LLP for outside counsel for the appeals process related to Assemblyman Micah Kellner.

Department of Civil Service

• $4,500 to Guilderland School District for damages sustained to Farnsworth Middle School athletic fields during a civil service exam in March 2014.

Executive Chamber

• $3,600 to Genova Burns Giantomasi Webster LLC for legal services related to the state Board of Elections’ implementation of public campaign financing.

Payment Rejections and Other Cost Recoveries

The Comptroller’s rejection of nearly 1,500 payments valued at nearly $7.4 million included 165 tax refunds valued at $593,000. DiNapoli’s auditors also recovered nearly $159,000 from vendors owing debts to the state, and held nearly $712,000 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.