Edward Armstrong
The Best Way to Spend $4 Million? (Editorial)
We’re not convinced $4 million awarded for a no-bid contract to an Indiana company was the best use of our taxpayer dollars. read more >
DentaQuest Drops Lawsuit Against State, Armstrong
DentaQuest of Boston, the bidder who sued the state of Arkansas and its procurement director, Edward Armstrong, after being disqualified for a $366 million state Medicaid dental services contract, has dropped its lawsuit. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Facing Lawsuit, Procurement Chief Says There’s No Appealing His Rulings in Protests
Arkansas Procurement Director Edward Armstrong's answer to being sued over a ruling that gave a fourth-place bidder a major state contract boils down to four words: His word is final. So far, the law seems to agree with him. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Procurement Prevails After Dental Contracts Approved
The court-challenged reasoning of State Procurement Director Edward Armstrong prevailed last week as state lawmakers gave their blessing to a $366 million duo of contracts to provide dental HMO services to Arkansas Medicaid recipients. read more >
DentaQuest Sues Procurement Director Over Dropped Medicaid Bid
Disclosure provisions in the state’s competitive bidding process have landed Procurement Director Edward Armstrong in the hot seat again. read more >
Disputed Contracts Place Procurement in Spotlight
Disputes over recent state contracts have put Republican lawmakers at odds with the Republican governor, angered potential vendors and muddied understanding on what businesses can expect from the process of awarding state work. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Bill Seeks to Change Procurement Process; Businesses Want to Understand It
Procurement laws are complicated, state Sen. Jimmy Hickey says, and he should know: He has helped rewrite them more than once. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
State Cancels Bid Process for Tourism Advertising Contract
The State Office of Procurement canceled its bid solicitation for the state’s biggest advertising contract — the $14 million-a-year deal for marketing state tourism — just days before written responses from agencies were due. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Lottery Ad Contract Process Reveals Fissures
It wasn’t smooth, but the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery has a new advertising agency, CJRW of Little Rock. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Panel OKs Lottery’s $34.5M Advertising Contract With CJRW
A legislative subcommittee gave a thumbs-up to a five-year, $34.5 million advertising contract to CJRW to market the Arkansas Scholarship lottery. But first, lawmakers got a primer on the limitations they face in reviewing contracts. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
As Arkansas Lottery’s Luster Fades, Numbers Signal Challenges
In the years since the first tickets were sold in 2009, the lottery has lost much of its glossy newness, leaving hard numbers to do the talking. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Lawmakers Decline to Approve Lottery Ad Contract
After grilling Lottery Director Bishop Woosley and State Procurement Director Edward Armstrong for nearly an hour over the process that awarded a $34.5 million, five-year lottery advertising contract to CJRW, a legislative subcommittee votes not to approve the contract. Later, the full committee kicks the matter back to the subcommittee. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
No Contract, No Conflict: Logic of a Lottery Ad Bid
Reasons given by the state procurement director on why CJRW was picked for a lucrative Arkansas State Lottery contract over two others has puzzled several Little Rock ad professionals. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
Protests Rejected, CJRW Stands to Win Lottery Contract
The Office of State Procurement has rejected the second of two rival protests to the awarding of a five year, $34.5 million contract to Little Rock advertising agency CJRW to work for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. read more >
by Kyle Massey -
MHP Protests Lottery Pact, Wants CJRW, Ghidotti-Vines Disqualified
Mangan Holcomb Partners is also challenging the awarding of a five-year $34.5 million contract to CJRW. read more >
by Kyle Massey -