A Performance Audit
An Audit Report on Selected Contracts at the Department of Criminal Justice
May 2017
Summary Analysis
The Department of Criminal Justice (Department) planned, procured, and formed the five contracts audited in accordance with applicable statutes, rules, and Department policies and procedures. The contracts audited included four contracts for the operation and management of state jail facilities (state jail contracts) and a contract for the Department’s unit network infrastructure refresh project (UNIR contract).
The Department had processes to monitor its four state jail contracts with Corrections Corporation of America to ensure compliance with the contract terms; however, it should strengthen certain aspects of that monitoring. The Department’s monitoring processes included (1) having an onsite contract monitor at each state jail, (2) conducting onsite compliance reviews, and (3) performing monthly desk reviews. However, the Department should improve certain processes within its onsite compliance reviews.
The Department of Criminal Justice (Department) complied with applicable statutes and the State of Texas Contract Management Guide for contract planning, procurement, and formation for (1) its four contracts with Corrections Corporation of America for the operation and management of the four state jail facilities (state jail contracts), awarded in January 2011, and (2) its contract with Sunrise IT Solutions Group for the installation of fiber optic network cabling at multiple Department units and facilities (UNIR contract), awarded in October 2016.
The Department had processes to monitor the four state jail contracts audited to ensure compliance with the contract terms. Those processes included (1) having an onsite contract monitor at each state jail, (2) conducting onsite compliance reviews, and (3) performing monthly desk reviews.
However, the Department should improve certain processes within its onsite compliance reviews. Specifically, the Department should ensure that it (1) completes an onsite compliance review at each state jail for all 27 applicable contract terms each year or creates a risk assessment to effectively allocate monitoring resources and (2) maintains complete copies of the review checklists it uses during the onsite compliance reviews.
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