Barbie Robinson, formerly the executive director of Harris County Public Health, has been charged with felony misuse of official information for allegedly sharing private information with IBM officials to influence a contract valued at $30 million. This contract was related to the ACCESS Harris County program, aimed at providing services to vulnerable populations. Robinson's actions are said to have given IBM an unfair advantage in the bidding process due to her prior relationship with the company from her time in Sonoma County, California. She was fired from her position in August 2024 amid these allegations. The case has drawn significant attention due to the use of federal COVID relief funds, with some officials like Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo defending Robinson, while others like DA Kim Ogg have highlighted the potential corruption
From the Press Democrat In Sonoma County:
During her tenure in Sonoma County, Robinson’s health department contracted with IBM for a similar program in 2018, that remains in use today. Robinson played a key role in developing the program, the health department received acclaim for it and IBM touted the cooperation with Robinson in company marketing materials.
That program, called ACCESS, has been expensive. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors most recently extended its contract with IBM in August. According to materials from that board meeting, ACCESS has cost the county $11 million to develop and maintain, while tracking data for just 200 people.
Ogg similarly referenced the high cost of IBM’s work with Robinson in Texas. With a contract ultimately valued at $30 million, the program has so far served around 1,200 people, she said, putting the cost per person at around $19,000 per person.
Robinson first tried to bring IBM with her to Harris County to replicate the Sonoma County program through a sole source contract, Ogg said in a press conference Tuesday.
But when officials in Harris County’s purchasing department balked and pushed for a competitive bid, Robinson used a personal email account to communicate with IBM officials, Ogg said. She accused Robinson of shaping IBM’s bid to win a contract that started at $16 million and was later extended.
In her press conference, Ogg said that the second bidder in Harris County estimated its costs for the first wave of the contract at around $2.2 million, nearly $14 million less than what IBM was awarded.
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