| An advisory opinion request regarding the propriety of RedMane Technology, LLC, listing Robynn Schifano, the former Section Chief of the Medicaid Eligibility Systems Section, as a subject matter expert in its proposal for a project that will be directly monitored by her former agency. |
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Robynn Schifano retired as the Section Chief of the Department of Health and Hospital's (DHH) Medicaid Eligibility Systems Section (MEDS Unit) in April 2014. Her son, Neal Wilson, is currently employed as a Medicaid Program Monitor with the MEDS Unit.
In April 2015, RedMane Technology, LLC, submitted a proposal in response to the Request for Proposals for Medicaid Enrollment and Eligibility System for DHH-Medicaid (RFP). The MEDS Unit will directly monitor the selected contractor's performance under the contract.
In the proposal, RedMane included Ms. Schifano as a subject matter expert with her projected start date listed as April 2016. Additionally, Ms. Schifano reviewed the proposal and provided feedback to RedMane.
RedMane stated that Ms. Schifano has not received, nor will she receive, any compensation with respect to its proposal or any resulting contract unless she is employed by or under contract with RedMane two years after her retirement. Additionally, Ms. Schifano is not currently, nor has she ever been, employed in any capacity with RedMane. Finally, there is no agreement or understanding between RedMane and Ms. Schifano regarding services to be rendered by Ms. Schifano if the contract is awarded to RedMane.
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La. R.S. 42:1121A(1) prohibits a former agency head or elected official, for a period of two years following the termination of his public service as the head of such agency or as an elected public official serving in such agency, from assisting another person, for compensation, in a transaction, or in an appearance in connection with a transaction, involving that agency or rendering any service on a contractual basis to or for such agency.
La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) prohibits a public servant, except as provided in R.S. 42:1120, from participating in a transaction involving the governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge, any member of his immediate family has a substantial economic interest.
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Decline to render an advisory opinion as the matter involves past conduct.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Haley Williams |
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