The State of Rhode Island was recently ordered to pay $370,000 to the Luca Group, for "voluntary" work they did on the global Medicaid waiver.  You might be wondering why they were paid anything if the work was "voluntary."  After all, if you volunteer to do something, that means you are donating your labor for free.  Well, according to Governor Carcieri's office, it looks like "voluntary work" is work performed without a contract.  Just out of curiosity, does this mean that nonunion state employees could be characterized as "volunteers," since they don't work under a contract of any kind?   I don't think so.

     There are a few aspects of this relationship that I find suspicious.  First, the approval to hire the Lucas group went through the purchasing department.  Do all volunteers need to go through purchasing when they are helping the state?  Second, there appears to be a personal relationship between Human Services Director Gary Alexander and John Stephens of the Lucas Group:

The partners in the company include former New Hampshire health and human services commissioner John Stephen, an unsuccessful 2008 New Hampshire GOP congressional candidate for whom Alexander had campaigned and held a fundraiser in his home. 


     We have a no-bid contract that went to an out-of-state company for "voluntary work," then we find out that Gary Alexander, vetted the company and was responsible for their selection.  The same person who made contributions and held a fundraiser for John Stephens just months before.  What a generous friend.  I also find it peculiar that this entire situation came to light just days after Alexander was confirmed as DHS Director, at a salary of $135, 661.