New York City Mayor Adams announced on June 18 that two emergency immigration service contracts will be put out for public bidding to save costs and avoid controversy.
Adams issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on that day, requiring service providers to submit qualifications, detailed plans, and budget proposals to bid. After evaluating and reviewing, the city government will select the winning bidder and sign a contract with them for up to one year. The chosen supplier will provide immigration services for existing immigrant shelters and other locations designated by the city government. Since April 2022, over 200,000 undocumented immigrants have flooded into New York City. The city government has saved nearly $2 billion in expenses through creative thinking. By conducting a public bidding process, Adams hopes to save even more money and ensure that every taxpayer’s dollar is put to effective use.
The city government in New York had signed numerous emergency contracts without going through a bidding process to accommodate undocumented immigrants, sparking controversy. In particular, a $432 million contract was signed with medical service provider DocGo to provide housing, food, and other services for undocumented immigrants. DocGo faced criticism for alleged mistreatment of immigrants, wastage of significant amounts of food, and failure to effectively coordinate with local governments. Last week, the New York Post reported that the city government also paid an additional $41 million to DocGo to operate a large immigrant shelter in the Queens area. Under public pressure, Adams announced that the city will not renew the contract with DocGo and has decided to opt for a public bidding process.
The Request for Proposals released by the city government on June 18 can be found at this link: [https://tinyurl.com/mrt7yzrx](https://tinyurl.com/mrt7yzrx)