By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE (Associated Press)
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York City is going to stop working with a medical services company that was supposed to house and take care of a recent increase in international migrants. This decision comes after the company's deal with the city and the quality of its services were questioned.
Mayor Eric Adams’ office announced on Tuesday that the city will not renew its contract with DocGo when it ends on May 5. Instead, they will look for a new provider to house migrants.
DocGo got a $432 million emergency contract without going through a bidding process last year to help the city handle a large number of new migrants. They used to work with the city for COVID-19 testing.
City Comptroller Brad Lander raised concerns about the contract, saying it didn’t have enough information to justify the cost and it was unclear how the company had the skills to transport, house, and feed thousands of migrants.
Reports from the New York Times and Albany Times Union also described alleged mistreatment of migrants under the company’s care, including problems with healthcare and food waste. The CEO resigned after admitting to lying about his education.
DocGo currently looks after 3,600 migrants, half in the city and half upstate New York.
The company will continue to care for migrants who were moved upstate until a new provider is chosen. The city will use Garner Environmental Services to take care of migrants in the metropolitan area until a new provider is selected.
Camille Joseph Varlack, chief of staff for the mayor, said in a statement that this change will help the city save money and let other organizations, including non-profits and internationally-recognized resettlement providers, apply to do this important work more efficiently.
A DocGo spokesperson said in a statement that the company is proud of the exceptional work their team has done and is still doing to help the city in response to this serious situation.
New York has had difficulty handling the large number of international migrants who have arrived in the city since 2022, with over 187,000 people seeking shelter through its intake system.
Politico was the first to report that the city will not renew its contract with DocGo.
