March 5, 2014

WHAT:           Conference call to discuss the new report, Overlooking Oversight: A Lack of Oversight in the Garden State is Placing New Jersey Residents and Assets at Risk. Janice Fine, professor at Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, and Patrice Mareschal, professor at Rutgers Department of Public Policy and Administration, are the study’s principal authors.

WHO:             Janice Fine, Patrice Mareschal, Adam Gordon, staff attorney at Fair Share Housing Center, who will speak on the oversight of Hurricane Sandy-related programs, and Donald Cohen, executive director of In the Public Interest, a national public interest organization that looks closely at contracting practices across the United States.

WHEN: Thursday, March 6, 11:00 a.m. To join, please call 712-432-1500 (Access Code: 883759)

BACKGROUND: While contracting can be an important tool for government when done well, this first-of-itskind review of New Jersey’s structure and on-the-ground capacity to provide oversight of third-party contractors shows that the Garden State’s ability to provide adequate and effective oversight is placing some of the state’s most vulnerable people – children, the disabled, and the elderly – at unnecessary risk. The study describes how this state of affairs came to be over many years, under both Democratic and Republican leadership, and makes policy recommendations to remedy the situation.

For close to three years, the researchers analyzed New Jersey statutes, regulations, executive orders, government circulars, organization charts, service contracts and RFPs, news articles, select reports from the Office of the State Comptroller, and interviewed current and former state employees, as well as outside experts.

NOTE: To request an embargoed copy of the report and request interviews, contact Janice Fine at fine@work.rutgers.edu or 617 470-0454 or Patrice Mareschal at marescha@camden.rutgers.edu or 856-225-6859.