Martin County rejects child support bids, will re-advertise after procedural issues

Martin County commissioners on Sept. 12 voted to reject all proposals received for contracted child support collection services after staff and legal counsel found deficiencies in the bid process.

County staff explained that the RFP required a Letter of Intent by Aug. 20 and proposals by Sept. 6; two firms filed timely Letters of Intent but one later withdrew, and a third firm submitted a proposal without the required Letter of Intent by the deadline. After consulting the UNC School of Government, staff recommended returning the sealed bids and re-advertising the solicitation to ensure an open, compliant procurement. Commissioners approved the recommendation unanimously and directed staff to set a new proposal deadline of Sept. 27 so responses could be considered at the Oct. 10 meeting.

Why it matters: Contracting child support collection services affects the county’s ability to process paternity and support collections; the county noted performance below state averages on several incentive measures and must follow federal procurement rules in soliciting vendors.

What’s next: Staff will reissue the RFP with the new timetable and present responses to the Board at the Oct. 10 meeting.