city of houston vs. office depot
March 13th, 2012
Houston auditing Office Depot for possible overcharges
Chris Mora, Houston Chronicle
By Chris Moran
Updated 08:40 p.m., Monday, March 12, 2012
Houston’s city auditor is four months into an audit of Office Depot, which has paid millions to settle accusations of overcharging other jurisdictions, to determine whether the company overcharged Houston.
City Auditor David Schroeder launched the audit in November after a Dallas County audit discovered $1.8 million in overcharges from the company. Office Depot has said the audit is mistaken.
Schroeder said he was trying to determine whether Houston paid the proper amount under its contract terms. He would not comment on what he had found far, but he estimated the audit would conclude in four to six weeks.
The city bought office supplies, including pens, paper, rubber bands, Post-It notes and manila folders, from the company until switching to OfficeMax last year.
In 2010, Florida’s attorney general announced that Office Depot would refund $4.5 million in overcharges to the state. Also that year, Office Depot agreed to pay the city of San Francisco more than $4 million following accusations of overcharges.
Houston’s five-year contract with Office Depot authorized $17.4 million in purchases.
The city’s annual audit plan for this fiscal year had already called for an audit of the city’s purchasing office, and the Office Depot contract became the test case for the office’s compliance with the terms of a large contract.
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New For 2012!!
March 8th, 2012
We’ve got some cool new additions to our website (www.cityofficesupply.com) for 2012!
Under the “links” section on the home page, check out…”Order promotional products for your company here!” …and
“The Recycling Site”. The new promo product catalog has hundreds of new items and a much easier user interface. The recycling site link makes it easier than ever to recycle your used inkjet and laser toners…with prepaid labels you can print yourself!
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2012 product show
January 31st, 2012
Check out our Facebook page for an invite to our 2012 Product Show Thurs. Feb.9th 5:30-7:30pm at Doneraki’s Mexican Restaurant 300 Gulfgate Mall
Houston, Texas.
Preview all the new products to help your office run smooth. ….and a free Mexican buffet with a margarita to boot!!
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Happy Holidays!!!!!!!
December 15th, 2011
All of Us at City Office Supply wish you, your families, and friends, a wonderful Holiday Season!!
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happy thanksgiving!
November 11th, 2011
The true meaning of the Thanksgiving Holiday lies
in giving thanks for our country, family and friends.
City Office Supply’s team of office product professionals
highly value the relationship we have built with you,
our customers, and would like to thank you for the
continued confidence you have placed with us since 1950.
Please keep us informed of any special need in office
products, office furniture or printing you might have.
Have a Happy Holiday.
From All of us at
CITY OFFICE SUPPLY, INC.
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advocate for independents in fight of his life
November 10th, 2011
Office Depot whistleblower David Sherwin has been diagnosed with
terminal prostrate and bone cancer and is on a course of pain management
and hormone therapy to maintain the quality of his life for
as long as possible, the OPI.net website reported last month.
Sherwin, 56, is a former senior account manager at Office Depot
and had in-depth knowledge of its U.S. Communities contract and
pricing plans.
Over the past three years, he has almost single-handedly run a
campaign to expose alleged price switching and overcharging in
Office Depot’s U.S. government contracts.
Due largely to Sherwin’s efforts, audits by municipal, school, county
and state auditors across the country have resulted in payment by
Office Depot of millions of dollars to settle allegations of overcharging
and other irregularities.
“One of my greatest disappointments is that U.S. Communities has
refused to get on the right side of history and publicly rebuke Office
Depot and refused to cut all contractual ties,” Sherwin said. “U.S.
Communities’ continued silence on this matter does nothing but
make them look as if they are hiding some dark secret,” he added.
In reflecting on his campaign, Sherwin paid tribute to various industry
organizations and individuals for their help and encouragement.
“I want to acknowledge the stalwart support that I have received
over the last three years from Proficiency Post, Diane Griffin, Rick
Marlette, Bob Mairena, Jerry Bircher, Chip Jones, Steve Danziger,
Chris Bates, Grady Taylor, Mike Gentile, Bob Cetina, Steve Sterne
and countless other independent office supply dealers and government
officials,” he said.
Despite his terminal illness, Sherwin said he is not about to let up
in his campaign against Office Depot and indeed, he continues efforts
to raise awareness of the issue.
Last month, Sherwin called on the Detroit Public Schools Inspector
General’s office to publicly release its report that alleged $5.2 million
in overcharges on its office supply purchases through Office Depot
under the former U.S. Communities contract.
He also disclosed the City of Houston Auditor’s Office had informed
him they too are opening an investigative audit of Office Depot’s
performance under its contract with them.
“A person’s character will be judged in this world is not by how they
performed in the good times but how they meet adversity, how they
face insurmountable odds and did they in the end struggle for that
which is right and justice. It is my hope that I will be remembered
as the person who did the right thing,” Sherwin said.
…from Nov.2011 Independent Dealer Magazine
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food for thought
October 13th, 2011
10/13/11 Breaking News:
City of Houston to Open Pricing Fraud Audit/Investigation of Office Depot/U.S. Communities contract not honoring best price clause
City of Houston Controller’s Office-Auditors Office has informed whistle-blower David Sherwin that they are opening an investigative audit of Office Depot for pricing fraud/overcharging on the U.S. Communities contract. Dallas County has found $1.8 million in fraudulent billing and Detroit Public Schools has found $5.2 million in Office Depot vendor fraud. Dallas and Detroit found that Office Depot violated the requirement to provide the lowest-best price-most favored pricing to those agencies under the now discredited U.S. Communities agreement.
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school daze
August 31st, 2011
T’was the night before school started when all through the town, parents were cheering-a riotous sound!! By nine, kids were all washed & tucked into bed where memories of homework filled them with dread! New pencils, new folders, new notebooks too! New teachers, new friends – their anxiety grew! The PARENTS just giggled when they learned of this fright and shouted “GO TO BED!!!! IT’S A SCHOOL NIGHT! Pass this on to all parents cause “IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!
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“Best Small Business Nominee”
August 30th, 2011
We are honored to hear that City Office Supply has been named a finalist for the:
2011 Houston East End Chamber of Commerce Awards
In the category “Best Small Business”
…
The winners will be announced live at the “Awards & Scholarship Celebration!”
COME JOIN US:
5:30 p.m. Silent Auction & Social – 7 p.m. Dinner & Program
Cocktail/Business Attire
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Office Product Problems in Big D
August 30th, 2011
DALLAS — Dallas County is negotiating with supply giant Office Depot to get back nearly $2 million that officials believe taxpayers were overcharged.
The findings were part of an audit released Monday. Officials say the county overpaid $1.8 million for office supplies between 2006 and 2009.
“It makes me angry; when somebody makes an agreement with me, I want them to follow through on that contract,” said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.
Dallas County had a price-match agreement with the company to get the lowest prices for products.
The audit showed that county taxpayers paid more for supplies than other cities across the country, including San Fransisco, where similar accusations were made against Office Depot.
The Bay City recently reached an agreement with the company. Office Depot paid San Francisco officials a $4.25 million settlement.
Dallas County is projecting a $27 million budget shortfall over the next year, and county officials say the money could be put to good use.
“It’s a big chunk of change,” said Jenkins. “It’s jobs, it’s services… it’s important.”
E-mail ccivale@wfaa.com
Click link to view full video news coverage: http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-County-says-it-was-ripped-off-by-office-giant-128645903.html
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