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Lottery subcontractor not allowed to bid on lucrative contract

By WTOP Staff

The D.C.-based subcontractor behind the District’s controversial 2009 lottery procurement has been told it will not be allowed to compete for a separate, lucrative lottery deal.

Veteran’s Services Corp. and joint venture partner Pollard Holdings Inc. filed a protest Jan. 25 with the Contract Appeals Board shortly after its bid to print instant lottery tickets was ruled nonresponsive.

Pollard is described as a “highly specialized operator of secure printing facilities with service and support expertise.” VSC, as the local certified business enterprise, is the 51 percent owner of the JV.

Led by Emmanuel Bailey, VSC manages the District’s lottery system as a subcontractor to Intralot Inc., its foreign partner, under a $38 million deal. That contract, awarded in 2009 amid nasty fighting between the D.C. Council and then-Mayor Adrian Fenty, spurred a lawsuit against Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi and all sorts of investigations into the elected officials involved.

This time, the controversy appears to be more related to bureaucracy and red tape than clashing personalities and business interests.

According to the protest, filed by attorney Frederick Cooke, the JV of Veteran’s Services Corp. and Pollard was formed for the purpose of bidding on the instant ticket request for proposals, but the District’s Department of Small and Local Business Development failed to approve the pair’s CBE application in time for their bid to be considered.

Emails included with the protest suggest that Bailey first contacted the D.C. government about establishing a JV with Pollard in January 2012. The instant ticket solicitation wasn’t issued by the OCFO’s contracting office until Oct. 22. And months after that, Cooke alleges, the CBE application was still not OK’d.

The JV’s opportunity “to participate in this procurement was fatally damaged by the gross inaction of DSLBD,” Cooke writes in the protest.

“The conduct of DSLBD in this matter is absolutely shameful, and has effectively denied VSC/PH a fair opportunity to compete for an award under the Solicitation,” he continues.

Cooke asks that the JV either be allowed to participate in the bidding, or that the OCFO cancel the solicitation and start over.

A spokesman for DSLBD was not immediately available for comment, and a spokesman for the finance office declined to comment, as it’s now a legal matter.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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