PLCB Responds to AG Examination

The head of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board says he agrees with nearly all of the recommendations made by the Pennsylvania Auditor General following the examination of a training contract awarded last month. Chairman P.J. Stapleton opened a written statement to AG Jack Wagner by saying, "We are pleased that your examination did not reveal any violations of any state laws or codes… Further, we are gratified by your conclusion that we affirmatively and properly dealt with potential conflicts of interest when they arose.” Stapleton says the board will begin implementing policies and procedures recommended by the Auditor’s report. However, the Chairman says the board does not feel it should have rejected all the bids as was suggested by Wagner. Stapleton says the PLCB must live by rules and laws that, “require the awarding of a contract arising from an RFP to the responsible proposer who submits the qualified proposal that is most advantageous to the Commonwealth, taking into consideration all of the evaluation factors. The rejection of such a qualified proposal for a service deemed to be necessary and without substantial legal justification would expose the PLCB to litigation.”