State officials met Tuesday with prospective bidders looking to house out-of-state inmates. In February, the Scott administration announced plans to solicit bids for alternative housing arrangements for the over-200 Vermont inmates housed out of state at a facility in Pennsylvania.
A formal request for proposals went out March 20.
Shannon Marcoux, facilities operations manager for the Vermont Department of Corrections, says Tuesday's bidders conference provides an opportunity to informally discuss questions about the contract for "confinement and supervision for up to 350 Vermont inmates in an out-of-state facility" with state officials.
Read the full request for proposals from the State of Vermont Department of Corrections
According to Marcoux, two entities have submitted written questions for the bidders conference — but not all bidders are required to submit questions, so more bids may be submitted before the May 16 deadline. Marcoux hopes to have a decision made three to four weeks thereafter.
The state is looking into alternatives to Pennsylvania's state correctional institution in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.
Since the Vermont inmates moved to Pennsylvania in June 2017, several prisoners have died. In addition, in March, Seven Days reported that a Vermont corrections official witnessed a Pennsylvania guard threaten Vermont inmates.
When asked if the state was open to another bid from the Pennsylvania system, Marcoux said they were "open to anyone that wants to put in a bid."
