Florida Planning To Privatize 30 Prisons, With Proposals Due on September 23

As part of a cost containment plan, Florida is seeking a single contractor to operate 30 state prisons in 18 counties beginning in 2012. The Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) released the request for proposals (RFP 11-DC-8296) on July 25, 2011, with proposals due by September 23, 2011. The 30 facilities—all in DOC Region IV—house about 20,000 inmates, about 20% of all inmates in the state. The RFP states that the private contractor will be required to operate the facilities for at least seven percent less than the $311 million it has cost DOC annually . . .