EDCU wins recruiting job – Adviser’s former firm was only bidder for contract

Setting conflict of interest concerns aside, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has decided to hire a business recruiting company formerly run by his top economic adviser.

The Governor’s Office has recommended the private, nonprofit Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCU) – the only bidder – be awarded a contract to handle the task of recruiting new businesses to Utah, said Douglas Richins, director of the Utah Division of Purchasing.

Huntsman’s office is now finalizing the terms of the contract and determining how much EDCU should be paid. That probably will be about $500,000, said Chris Roybal, Huntsman’s chief economic adviser. He said EDCU could be working under a state contract as early as Aug. 19.

By Lesley Mitchell
The Salt Lake Tribune

Full Story: http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_2935010

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Development contract unsigned

Only one firm has submitted bid to lure companies to the state

By Lisa Riley Roche
Deseret Morning News

Economic development was Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.’s chief campaign issue, but the state has yet to sign a key contract for recruiting new companies to Utah — even though only one firm submitted a bid.

Valued at more than $500,000, the contract was to have been in place more than a month ago when the state’s economic development department officially became part of the GOP governor’s office on July 1.

The sole bidder, the nonprofit Economic Development Corporation of Utah, even had an understanding that in exchange for providing services to the state for free since January, it eventually would be given the state contract.

But questions about the proposed deal have slowed the process.

Members of the Utah Board of Business and Economic Development are now expected to be asked at their next meeting Aug. 19 to ratify the contract. Because the newly reorganized board only has advisory powers, it’ll be up to the governor’s office to sign it.

And that’s what even critics of the deal expect to happen.

Full Story: http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600155500,00.html