Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 23, 1996

Release #594-96

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Jack Deacy (212) 788 - 2969


MAYOR GIULIANI APPOINTS BETH KASWAN
AS DIRECTOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONTRACTS

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced the appointment of Beth Kaswan as Director of the Mayor's Office of Contracts. In her new post, Ms. Kaswan will be responsible for the office that oversees New York City agency contracting activities that in 1995 exceeded $7 billion. Her appointment is effective immediately.

"Beth brings to this important post a strong management style, an intricate knowledge of the law and the tax code and the character and integrity that are required to continue to review, streamline and reform the city's procurement process," Mayor Giuliani said. "She has already served the Administration well as a Deputy Commissioner in the Department of Investigation and the Department of Finance and we look forward to her leadership of the Mayor's Office of Contracts."

Before her appointment, Ms. Kaswan was Deputy Commissioner for Management Review and Special Projects at the City's Department of Investigation (DOI), a post she has held since August 1995. At DOI, she was involved in developing and implementing several interagency task force proposals, including the reform of the City's child protective services and fire and police department disability and pension systems.

As Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs at the Department of Finance, she supervised 40 tax litigation attorneys and 380 administrative law judges and led a task force to create an independent and consolidated administrative hearings tribunal. Prior to joining the Administration in May 1994, Ms Kaswan spent almost nine years as an Assistant US Attorney with the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, where she also served as Deputy Chief of the Civil Division. She also spent six years as a Trial Attorney in the Tax Division of the United State Department of Justice.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Miami and a law degree from Boston College Law School. Ms Kaswan has been the recipient of several awards, including the Department of Justice John Marshall Award, the Attorney General's Special Commendation, and the Department of Justice Tax Division Outstanding Achievement Award.

In addition to its oversight responsibilities for contracts to procure goods, construction and human services, the Mayor's Office of Contracts also reviews and approves particular contract awards over designated dollar amounts and those using special procurement methods. The Office maintains a comprehensive contact information system know as Vendex that tracks contractor performance and integrity and operates the Public Access Center which enables the public to utilize on-line computers to access vendor and contract information.

One of Ms. Kawan's responsibilities will be to direct the City's procurement reform efforts, including the introduction of new technology initiatives and the streamlining of rules and procedures. As the City's Chief Procurement Officer, she also presents the Administration's positions to the Procurement Policy Board, sits on the Procurement Training Institute and the NYC Contract Dispute Resolution Boards and serves as the City's contacting liaison with vendor associations and not-for-profit groups.



Go to Press Releases | Giuliani Archives | Mayor's Office | NYC.gov Home Page
Contact Us | FAQs | Privacy Statement | Site Map