TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas officials announced Friday that they had signed a new contract for medical services at prisons as frustrations mount with the current health care provider amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Kansas Department of Corrections said in a news release that it awarded Centurion of Kansas LLC a two-year contract that begins July 1. The contract can be extended to 2026.

The announcement comes a week after Gov. Laura Kelly criticized the health care provided in the state's prisons by Tennessee-based Corizon Health. That contract will expire June 30.

"Inmates and staff are concerned about the level of care inmates have been receiving from the corrections medical provider, Corizon. I understand the frustrations. In fact, I share them," the governor said.

Corizon declined to comment on the process for the new prison contract but shared a copy of a letter dated Thursday sent to DOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda. In the letter, Corizon pushed back against allegations from the state that it had failed to acquire an adequate stock of personal protective equipment for use by its medical staff, lacked critical staffing, and failed to issue protocols for COVID-19 testing and treatment.

The letter, signed by Corizon CEO James Hyman, said it is not accurate to allege Corizon was unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have always maintained an adequate supply of PPEs and have continuously educated our staff," he wrote. "Corizon has been preparing for this pandemic since February."

Kansas penalized Corizon more than $500,000 for not meeting performance standards in 2018. It also cut $2.8 million in payments to Corizon because the company didn't provide the required number of employees and work hours last year.

Centurian will provide medical services at the eight adult facilities and for juveniles at the Kansas Juvenile Correctional Complex.

Payments to Centurion are not to exceed $86.5 million the first year, with annual increases up to a cost of $98.7 million, prison officials said. The total six-year contract is not to exceed $554 million.