Competitive bidding call goes wrong...very, very wrong
By Liz Beaulieu, Editor
Updated Wed December 29, 2010
On Dec. 28, contract suppliers and others phoned into a teleconference with officials from the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) to discuss competitive bidding. With only three days until Jan. 1, when the program goes live, they knew it would be one of their last chances to ask questions and relay their concerns.
What ensued, however, was "a big mess," said one person who was on the call.
First, officials changed the pass code for the teleconference at the last minute, meaning some contract suppliers were on a teleconference by themselves. Then, they couldn't master the mute/un-mute function, resulting in everyone on the call being treated to a cacophony of conversations and background music. Then, about half an hour into the teleconference, officials said they would have to reschedule, but they didn't say when.
"When they said they had to reschedule due to technical difficulties, everyone asked, 'What time? Competitive bidding goes live Jan. 1," said one person who was on the call.
Those on the call took this all as a sign: "If they can't run a webinar, how are they going to run competitive bidding?"
Good question.
Liz Beaulieu
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