In Puerto Rico, the Senate is evaluating a contract between the Family Department and the Family Socioeconomic Development Administration (ADSEF). Senator Juan Óscar Morales of the New Progressive Party (PNP) denounced that Family Department Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes requested 15 additional days to deliver the complete file of the proposal evaluation process, which includes the company Coccoloba AgroEnvironmental LLC.
Morales stated that during a public hearing, Roig Fuertes assured that she had all the files up to date, but when he asked for evidence of Coccoloba’s proposal, she could not find it. The request coincides with Coccoloba’s claim that it did not submit a proposal in the contracting process, which would be funded with up to $38.5 million from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
The company had requested information from the Family Department about the evaluation process, with a deadline of five days to respond. On Thursday, the company informed Metro Puerto Rico that the Family Department requested an additional five days to respond. Morales also pointed to LAP Consulting Group, the firm that evaluated the proposals, and stated that it lacks credibility.
The controversy arose after the former administrator of ADSEF, Blanca Medina, testified that she received pressure from Roig Fuertes to sign the contract with NOLA Education, which she considered illegal due to the use of TANF funds.