Gov. Jim Doyle's campaign tactics came into question a second time this week when the Republican Party of Wisconsin released information indicating a state contract was given to a company with ties to Doyle campaign contributors.
Adelman Travel Systems beat out four other bidders in June for a state contract to provide travel services for state and University of Wisconsin System employees; however, Adelman President Craig Adelman donated money to Doyle's re-election campaign.
"There were very questionable circumstances in which this travel-award contract was given to Adelman Travel," Christine Mangi, communications director for RPW, said. "There was a $10,000 donation made to the Doyle campaign from the president of Adelman between the time of the bidding of the contract and shortly after the contract was awarded."
Additionally, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign released a statement Wednesday revealing Doyle received more than $200,000 in out-of-state donations for his 2006 campaign, an action that has drawn fire from Doyle's opponents.
"[The Adelman contract] is just another example of Jim Doyle selling state government," Mark Graul, campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., said. Green is the leading Republican contender against Doyle in the 2006 gubernatorial race.
Graul said other travel agencies competing for the contract were overlooked in the bidding process.
"Adelman Travel wasn't the first choice of the professional-procurement people who were looking at this contract," Graul said. "[They] actually thought another travel agency was a better choice, but Gov. Doyle decided to go with Adelman, and I think it's very clear why."
Omega World Travel was the top choice of the procurement board, Graul said; however, Adelman Travel Systems was chosen instead.
The information detailed by RPW was obtained in an investigation conducted by Channel 27, which found none of the other bidding companies had connections to Doyle campaign contributions. The investigation also uncovered an additional $10,000 in donations linked to Adelman Travel Systems.
However, Wisconsin Department of Administration Communications Director Scott Larrivee said the DOA selects contract recipients based on the bidder's cost and quality of services provided. A committee comprised of UW System employees and other state agencies conducts a paper review of the bidders' applications, scores their oral presentations, analyzes the bidders' offers and decides which offer would best suit the state's needs.
Though Adelman and Omega were very close in the bidding process, the state chose Adelman because its bid was more cost-effective, Larrivee said.
"In the 'best and final offer,' their costs were still better than Omega's," Larrivee said, adding the procurement process was conducted "by the book." "They won on the merits of the selection process."
The contract with Adelman is not exclusive, Larrivee said. Other travel agencies that have contracts with the state include Orbitz and STA Travel.
In addition, Larrivee said Doyle had no say in the procurement process and did not "pressure" the committee to choose Adelman.
Doyle's campaign manager, Rich Judge, called RPW's allegations "preposterous" and said Republicans were trying to "muddy the waters" of Doyle's campaign to draw attention away from Green's own suspicious campaign-finance practices.
