"eBay and Specialty On-Line Auction Services"

It's capitalism (4.00 / 3)

Cut jobs here.  Give the corporate sector the public funds to do a job at a higher pay.  How's come our Auditor ain't catching this waste?

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by: PeteySweety @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 10:44:05 AM CST

I'm guessing (4.00 / 2)

that at 2:30 a.m. our State Auditor would have a hard time reading this (or any) post.

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by: farjas @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 12:01:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah (0.00 / 0)

Cut state (union) jobs and bid-out $50,000 paying "contracting services"; I suspect that has a lot to do with the timing of this posting.  Good catch Julie.

As for

How's come our Auditor ain't catching this waste?

I suspect this may now be the lead-in to a joke regarding anytime anyone sees anything obviously wrong or questionable that no one is doing anything about....

-In America the people fear their government; in France, it is the government that fears the people

www.integralpsychosis.com

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by: wdh3 @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 13:03:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It's actually easy to spot these things (4.00 / 1)

I've been a contractor for the State of Vermont in the past and I'm part of the business registry, so I get an e-mail whenever there's a new bid request or rfp which meets my skill set or hits certain keywords.  

The thing is: this pays fairly close to what my last contract job with the state paid, but what I did then required some very specific technical knowledge and a fairly unique skill set.  This, on the other hand, requires very little skill whatsoever.

But really, what the hell is up with the sealed bid?

juliewaters.com

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by: JulieWaters @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 13:13:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah (0.00 / 0)

You're right. Why a sealed bid.  Heavy for selling surplus junk.  What the hell are they gonna be handling.  Yankee nuke waste?  

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by: PeteySweety @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 14:47:37 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Where can I apply? (0.00 / 0)

keepereusc@gmail.com

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by: Matthew Breuer @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 11:03:45 AM CST

Me first!!! (0.00 / 0)

Beware the Everyday Brutality of the Averted Gaze

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by: mataliandy @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 15:36:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Sorry (4.00 / 1)

 Sealed bid folks...

-In America the people fear their government; in France, it is the government that fears the people

www.integralpsychosis.com

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by: wdh3 @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 22:22:42 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Scam? (4.00 / 2)

Boy, does this sound like a classic Internet scam: "You can earn up to $50,000 working out of your home for the state of Vermont! Hi, I'm Jim Douglas, Governor of Vermont, offering you the opportunity of a lifetime to earn big money by selling surplus merchandise on EBay!"

What next? Teaching unemployed Vermonters to send spam e-mails? Scraping the gold off the State House and selling it to Cash4Gold.com?  

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by: jvwalt @ Wed Nov 25, 2009 at 16:26:53 PM CST

Not scam, but (4.00 / 1)

But why does the RFP have a Nigerian "Reply To" address?

sláinte,

cl

-- Religion is like sodomy: both can be harmless when practiced between consenting adults but neither should be imposed upon children.

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by: Caoimhin Laochdha @ Thu Nov 26, 2009 at 07:11:36 AM CST

[ Parent ]

send us your bank account and social security numbers (4.00 / 2)

so we can initiate a bank transfer.  

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by: Undamned Yankee @ Thu Nov 26, 2009 at 14:00:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Privatization has always been a religion, (4.00 / 1)

not a money saving strategy. Or, to be more accurate, a lie motivated by the demands of private industry. This is just one more example.

We already have a state surplus sales unit in the General Services department. They have a place down on Rt. 2 next to the flea market in Waterbury. The folks there seem to have some time on their hands. But that wouldn't provide cash for FOJ (Friends of Jim).

Actually, I recommend a visit to the state surplus store for those in need of office furniture or computer peripherals. Occasionally they have really weird lab equipment and things I just can't identify.  They also sell cheap pocket knives - originally collected from forgetful air travelers, bought from TSA by the pound, and sold for a couple of bucks.

Minor Heretic
"Damned for 25% of eternity"

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by: Minor Heretic @ Fri Nov 27, 2009 at 09:25:18 AM CST

*nods* I wish I knew about that... (0.00 / 0)

...back when I worked up there.  

juliewaters.com

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by: JulieWaters @ Fri Nov 27, 2009 at 11:23:19 AM CST

[ Parent ]

disgusting (0.00 / 0)

This is disgusting.  Sending a bid out to a private contractor at vastly inflated prices that the taxpayer will have to pay so that Douglas can knock off yet more workers and axe more benefits.  This is disgusting.  This has got to get to the mainstream media.  I wonder how much these contractors paid Douglas for this contract.  

When you wake up each morning look around you.  It might be the last time you get to do it.  

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by: Watercloset @ Sat Nov 28, 2009 at 00:45:23 AM CST

actually (0.00 / 0)

As a matter of reference, any bid submitted to the state for a request to bid is a sealed bid. This means nothing more than no information will be released on competitive bids until the bid closes and makes sure that the bidders are not acting in collusion. As for the request itself, if one goes to the bid page for the State of VT they will see that the bid was listed at 10:07AM Tuesday November 24th and not at 2:30AM as reported. The successful contractor will actually receive a percentage of each item sold as payment. That is why the "value" of the contract is $50,000 plus or minus depending upon units sold. This isnt a straight payment contract. The State is outsourcing this function so it will not have to pay a salary as well as salary overhead, sick time, vacation time, employment taxes (roughly figured at 40% of salary expense), so believe it or not, this is a cost savings. No, I dont work for the State, just a businessman that is tired of the State bashers when they dont know ALL THE FACTS or the facts have been skewed. How about professional journalism, try it sometime.

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by: TJdog20 @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 14:36:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

but (4.00 / 1)

by giving part of the proceeds to a contractor (up to $50k), the state loses that revenue; so how is this a cost savings?

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by: Doug Hoffer @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 15:13:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

So, just out of curiosity... (0.00 / 0)

...what kind of businessman are you?  Do you have any stake in this sort of contract?

juliewaters.com

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by: JulieWaters @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 17:03:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

"How about professional journalism, try it sometime" (0.00 / 0)

So you're hiring, then? Great! How much do you pay?

undercaffeinated

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by: odum @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 19:16:08 PM CST

[ Parent ]

hiring (0.00 / 0)

$50K, plus or minus......depending upon how many units you sell.....

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by: TJdog20 @ Tue Dec 01, 2009 at 14:19:55 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Explain why (4.00 / 1)

The State is outsourcing this function so it will not have to pay a salary... [& other personnel costs, etc.] so believe it or not, this is a cost savings. How about professional journalism, try it sometime.

Cost savings?  Maybe, maybe not. Not to sound glib (in response to the person who said "professional journalism, try it sometime"), but it's only a cost saving if the taxpayers realize more money from the sale of excess property by a private contractor rather than the state selling it property w/o private contractor.

For most ongoing projects and functions, and this liquidation job will be an ongoing project since the state will always have surplus material, it is typically more cost effective to keep the work "in-house." To achieve cost savings via outside contractors, a contracting government entity needs, at a minimum, to already have - or to go out and hire - knowledgeable people to supervise the contractors. Otherwise, and this happens frequently, the taxpayers are fleeced by contractor overcharges or contractor under-performance, or both. This type of contract presents a high risk of the latter.

All we know:
1. It is possible that an outside contractor will be able to sell excess merchandise at a price - minus commissions and minus the costs of managing the contract- that will generate sufficient proceeds for taxpayers that this will result in a better deal for taxpayers; and
2. It is just as possible that the state, acting w/o a private contractor and selling surplus merchandise, will recoup more money for the taxpayers.  

Without knowing all the factors going into the state's decision to award this work, it is impossible to know whether "this is a cost savings."  

sláinte,

cl

-- Religion is like sodomy: both can be harmless when practiced between consenting adults but neither should be imposed upon children.

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by: Caoimhin Laochdha @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 20:02:14 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm so glad you're here to respond... (0.00 / 0)

...to the flyby spitballers and their talking point regurgitation. I'm just too old, crusty and burned out these days. Maybe after the holidays.

undercaffeinated

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by: odum @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 20:47:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Here's what I find funny (0.00 / 0)

The automatic assumption that there's a cost saving is surreal to me-- if they're paying out a percentage of the auction costs, then that's state revenue that's not being kept.  You may or may not be able to balance that against a salary, but a state employee doing this wouldn't get to keep that percentage.  

So here's my proposal: Why not give this job to the Lt. Governor?  We're paying him, essentially, to sit around and be ready in case the existing governor dies.  He might as well be doing something useful.  Win-win!

juliewaters.com

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by: JulieWaters @ Tue Dec 01, 2009 at 03:20:02 AM CST

[ Parent ]

A surplus (0.00 / 0)

state office holder could auction surplus state office equipment.It's almost a self sustaining green job.

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by: BP @ Tue Dec 01, 2009 at 06:25:38 AM CST

[ Parent ]

great (0.00 / 0)

Julie, A great idea:)  Think old Do-nothing Douglas will go for it?  

When you wake up each morning look around you.  It might be the last time you get to do it.  

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by: Watercloset @ Fri Dec 04, 2009 at 02:45:44 AM CST

[ Parent ]

opinion (0.00 / 0)

"Otherwise, and this happens frequently, the taxpayers are fleeced by contractor overcharges or contractor under-performance, or both. This type of contract presents a high risk of the latter."

Thank you, sláinte cl.  This is just what I was getting at in my opinion, as opposed to researched facts, about the proposal of the state farming out the ebay stuff to a private contractor.  The potential for a private contractor to fleece the taxpayer for very little in return could be exceedingly difficult for the said contractor to resist, especially if there was little oversight.  Look what happens at the federal level. How much have private contractors fleeced from us there?  

As for salaries, if the state assigned someone or several to this task already on the state payroll they should not have to shovel out any additional salary/overtime, benefits beyond what they were already paying.  Also, the state taxpayer would have to pay the salaries and benefits, assuming the workers got any, of the people working for the said contractor.

My opinion of the matter is that it is a more a political move by a few within the state government based on ideology and, perhaps, as a way to reward a political benefactor or two.  I hope I am wrong, but from what I've read about it here that is what it smells like to me so far.  


When you wake up each morning look around you.  It might be the last time you get to do it.  

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by: Watercloset @ Wed Dec 02, 2009 at 02:05:13 AM CST