Three companies bid to run women’s prison

Wednesday, May 5, 2004 | 10:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Three out-of-state companies submitted bids Tuesday to run the state women's prison in North Las Vegas, where the inmates last month signed a petition of complaint about the way the current company manages operations.

The state Purchasing Division said it received proposals from Civigenics Inc. of Marlborough, Mass.; Cornell Cos. of Houston, Texas; and Management and Training Corp. of Centerville, Utah.

Purchasing Officer Kim Perondi said a five-member team of state officials will evaluate the proposals independently and meet on May 14 to compare notes.

Corrections Corp. of America, which built and has operated the 500-inmate Southern Nevada Women's Facility since 1997, is not renewing its contract. The contract expires Oct. 1.

The purchasing division offered three options when it asked for bids from private companies. The companies were asked to bid to run the entire facility, to run just the prison or to run just the medical programs. Perondi said the bids have to be studied to see what the three companies are seeking. Bid prices are confidential until a contract is awarded.

The state Department of Corrections will have a chance to analyze the bids and compare them with what it would cost the state to run the prison. The 215 women who signed the April 4 petition and sent it to Gov. Kenny Guinn and members of the Legislature and the state Department of Corrections want the state to take over operations of the prison.

Corrections Department Director Jackie Crawford has already said she wants to compete with the private companies.

The proposal must be submitted to the Legislative Interim Finance Committee for approval. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, has been a major supporter of having a private company operate the prison instead of the state.

But a spokesman for Gov. Kenny Guinn says the governor philosophically feels that the state should run the prison. Press Secretary Greg Bortolin said, however, that the Legislature has a big voice in whether it should be the state or a private company.

Regardless, fast action is needed to get a new operator in place prior to the existing contract's expiration, Perondi said.

In January Corrections Corp. and the state reached an agreement by which the state would take over the medical programs at the North Las Vegas prison. Dr. Ted D'Amico, medical director for the state prison system, said medical care at the women's prison was "not up to standard."

The Interim Finance Committee never approved the state takeover.

Regarding the petition, which complained of poor food quality and medical care among other things, Corrections Corp. said the allegations were untrue and there was no basis for the complaints. They also said some of the women did not understand what they were signing.

Corrections Corp. built the prison and the state later purchased it and owns the property now.