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ROSENTHAL
DANIEL DROMM
DISTRICT
OFFICE
563
Columbus
Avenue,
at
87th
street
NEW
YORK,
NY
10024
(212)
873-0282
DISTRICT
OFFICE
37-32
75th
St.
Jackson
Heights,
NY
11372
(718)
803-6373
THE
COUNCIL
OF
THE
CITY
OF
NEW
YORK
March 3, 2015
Carmen Faria
Chancellor
NYC Department of Education
52 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007
Dear Chancellor Faria:
As
Chairs
of
the
Education
and
Contracts
Committees,
we
write
once
again
with
our
deep
concern
regarding
the
contracting
process
for
the
Department
of
Education
(DOE).
You
have
now
heard
from
our
offices
several
times,
as
well
as
from
the
New
York
City
Public
Advocate
New
York
Letitia
James,
on
the
need
for
transparency
and
accountability
in
the
DOE
contracting
process.
Of
particular
concern
is
the
IT
contract
with
Custom
Computer
Specialists
(CCS),
which
was
approved
by
the
PEP
on
Thursday
night,
February
26thby
all
of
the
members
except
for
the
Contracts
Committee
Chair.
While
we
shouldnt
take
the
loss
of
$25
million
in
federal
funds
lightly,
the
apparent
irregularities
surrounding
this
contract
raise
serious
red
flags.
We
have
concerns
about
the
chosen
contractor
who
has
a
history
of
fraud
as
well
as
negotiations
which
brought
the
contract
award
level
down
by
40%
with
no
change
in
scope.
Fundamentally,
its
not
clear
why
DOE
would
go
out
of
its
way
to
contract
with
a
company
with
so
many
red
flags
when
alternative
providers
are
available.
Historical
Fraud.
Custom
Computer
Specialists
has
strong
historic
ties
to
Ross
Lanham
who
was
convicted
of
defrauding
the
DOE
(the
public)
of
millions
of
dollars
in
2011,
when
he
worked
on
a
contract
very
similar
to
the
one
just
approved
by
the
PEP.
Specifically,
Ross
Lanham
contracted
with
CCSrequired
that
Verizon
hire
CCS
at
a
higher
rateand
then
partnered
with
the
then
and
current
President
of
CCS
in
a
real
estate
venture.
Helen
Rosenthal
Daniel
Dromm
Chair,
Committee
on
Contracts
Chair,
Committee
on
Education
cc: