The Beacon Center's 12 Days of Pork, #3: "Can't mask the pain," no-bid mask contract for mask that don't work.

The Beacon Center- We have all heard of—or had—buyer’s remorse: when you purchase something, get home, and realize you made a mistake. But the term “buyer’s remorse” doesn’t seem to do justice to an $8 million expenditure that left taxpayers and mask-wearers scratching their heads.

That’s exactly what happened earlier this year when the state entered into a no-bid contract with a sock manufacturer for five million masks for Tennesseans. The controversy about the material of the masks being able to adequately protect wearers from COVID-19 might not exist if the state had taken proposals from more than one manufacturer before deciding who would make the official face mask of Tennessee.  While contrary to popular belief, the masks aren’t actually poisonous, but the no-bid process was harmful to taxpayers. 

 If the government is mandating, or even suggesting, that we should all be wearing face masks, they should certainly be made available at no cost. But when the cost falls on taxpayers, and no bids were secured to get the best deal, that’s a blunder too big to cover up. 

Solution: End no-bid contracts when taxpayer dollars are on the line.

on the third day of Christmas, the government gave to me… a mask contract given too quickly

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