Audit: Comm Center Officials Falsified Radio Bid

A report by Chicago’s oversight agency has concluded that officials of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) falsified documents related to the 2005 purchase of $23 million of radio gear, allowing Motorola to obtain the contract without competitive bids. The report was obtained by the Chicago Tribune, and shows that Inspector General Joseph Ferguson found false information in the justification for allowing the sole-source bid award. Specifically, the OEMC had stated the city already had a $2 million investment in Motorola gear, when in fact the total was just $350,000 at the time. Based on the false statements, the city’s Sole Source Review Board approved the purchase. Ferguson’s report also cited the OEMC’s, “long-running failure to effectively manage the procurement and contract process presents a significant risk to the city’s emergency preparedness, fiscal security and grant compliance.” Ron Huberman, who headed the OEMC at the time, now heads the city’s school district, and told the newspaper he was at the agency for only 13 months. “I regret that some of this misconduct occurred during my tenure,” he told a reporter. Read more about the report here.