SMS Vanishes: State Contracts in Limbo

SMS Logo
PC: PC: SMS Page at https://linktr.ee/smshawaii.com

With the first article on the status of SMS Research and Marketing Services out, this blogger started getting tips and ideas from others about where else to look for information about the company.

Specifically, its work with government entities.

Turns out, with a little research into state procurement, a couple of messages, and at least one phone call to sources, it turns out that SMS had several contracts awarded to it for the last few years, at least one of them in the millions.

Furthermore, some of those contracts are still active, according to the State Procurement office. One wonders if they are aware that the offices of SMS, upon visiting them on Friday, October 11th, found the nameplates off the doors, and no answer at the door. You can see the photo in the revised Thursday, October 10th article.

As to those contracts, Politics Hawaii did a quick search of contracts that the company has been awarded as of late. According to State Procurement, they have been awarded contracts by the departments of Transportation, Defense, Accounting and General Services, DBEDT (Business, Economic Development and Tourism), Human Services and Health.

The amounts of the contracts run from small to large. The smallest on the list Is a $14,387 study entitled “HDOT – 2022 Statewide Attitudes and Behaviors Survey”, to a $1.41 million contract for “Med-QUEST Timely Access Secret Shopper Services”.

And that is not the only million-dollar contract that SMS has with the state. In total, according to the data from Procurement, SMS has been awarded 4.58 million dollars over eight contracts awarded from 2021 to 2023.

List of contracts, organized by date from 2021-2024, of all awards to SMS, with amounts
PC: Downloaded database from the State Procurement Office, Hawaii.gov

So the question now becomes more focused as to the current situation at hand, that a company with a large value, and with their work with Maui and the Lahiana wildfire, high profile studies, that in the matter of a few days, the company has shuttered its doors?

Additionally, what will happen to the contracts that are still outstanding, and how will they be handled? Sources indicate that there is a rush to re-award the contracts to other entities. Understanding this process, redoing the contracts, and reinstating the work could take months to resolve. Furthermore, acquiring all the materials that were produced by SMS for state custody may also be a challenge.

The story continues. More to come as details unfold.