Horse Racing Alberta Governance Project

When Phil first reported that Alberta Treasury Board and Finance had issued a RFP: Horse Racing Alberta Governance Phil felt a glimmer of hope for the resurgence of the horse racing Industry in Alberta. Then the RFP submission date was extended. Then the successful bidder was announced and there was only one bidder shown: Opportunity Notice Horse Racing Alberta Governance: Marcomm Works Inc.

A little bit of research, clicking on their website, Marcomm Works Inc. shows that Marcomm has provided service to the province of Alberta and more particularly and most troubling to Horse Racing Alberta.

Phil has a question:

Was the RFP designed in such a manner to give a preference to any bidder or groups of bidders.

Was the RFP sufficiently publicized to attract the best available bidders.

Was there sufficient time given for prospective bidders to prepare and submit their bids.

Were there conflict of interest guidelines in the RFP and if there were we they sufficient.

Is there such a dearth of talent in Alberta, Canada, North America and the world that an RFP that ends up paying $397,385.00CDN attracts only 1 bidder during desperate economic times.

If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

John Wooden

Does anyone in the entitled UCP or their Tory cronies understand what a conflict of interest is and what its ramifications for the best performance of a project are.

The RFP requires :

The vendor shall exercise their expertise in governance and stakeholder engagement to prepare a strategy for bringing key government and industry partners to the table to develop and implement a governance plan for Alberta’s horse racing industry and an appeals process to hear appeals of the decisions of racing officials.

The fact that a RFP was issued to set up a new model for horse racing governance in Alberta tells one that the government is not happy with the present structure and the manner that the variuos parties over the years have managed it. The vendor will have to research and report on what it perceives are the problems with the current Horse Racing Alberta structure and how that structure was managed and manipulated during its lifespan.

Phil has a question:

How can Marcomm give an critical unbiased report on the workings of Horse Racing Alberta when Marcomm has been part and parcel of the workings of Horse Racing Alberta and Marcomm has a vested interest in not finding fault with the work they provided to Horse Racing Alberta.

How can Marcomm give an critical unbiased report on the workings of Horse Racing Alberta when Marcomm has developed business and personal relationships with members of Horse Racing Alberta and Marcomm has a vested interest in maintaining those business relationships.

How can Marcomm give an critical unbiased report on the workings of Horse Racing Alberta when the government may decide to retain the current structure of Horse Racing Alberta and Marcomm has a vested interest in providing future work to Horse Racing Alberta if that structure is maintained.

Do you have confidence in Marcomm giving a critical unbiased report on the workings of Horse Racing Alberta.

Why is Marcomm limiting the participants to All Albertans. Shouldn’t other Canadian and US residents who want to participate in the horse racing industry in Alberta be given a say.

Do you need to belong to an organization before you can be placed on a focus group or have a one-on-one interview. Shouldn’t all participants in horse racing whether or not they belong to or represent an organization be given a chance to be on a focus group or have a one-on-one interview.

Why is Marcomm limiting the number of spots available. If Marcomm wants to do the best possible job wouldn’t speaking to as many persons as possible be more appropriate than limiting the number of spots available. Are they using a cherry picked list of persons qualified by Clark Kent or the QKB.

Can you stop at one salted peanut.

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.