don webb
October 30th, 2009, 03:19 AM
.
President Obama and members of Congress told federal agencies earlier this year to avoid awarding funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to contractors with troubled histories of work for the federal government.
But that isn't happening at numerous agencies, a Washington Post analysis shows. So far, 33 federal departments and agencies have awarded more than $1.2 Billion in stimulus contracts to at least 30 companies that are ranked by one watchdog group as among the most egregious offenders of state and federal laws.
Even a simple Google search could raise red flags about some contractors' performance.
Examples;
Honeywell International, is defending itself against a Justice Department lawsuit accusing it of selling defective shields for bulletproof vests to the Defense and Homeland Security departments, costing the federal government tens of millions of dollars. But that did not prevent the company from winning $2.9 Million in stimulus contracts from the Air Force.
UT-Battelle was cited in 2005 for serious nuclear safety violations at the former Cold War site. And last year, the inspector general cited the company for using $600,000 in federal money for unapproved expenditures on cigars, wine and gifts, including a pen with a built-in USB flash drive, given to guests at a scientific conference.
They has now been awarded 43 Recovery Act contracts worth more than $331 Million. In every instance, competitive bidding rules were waived?
Obama explicitly warned against awarding contracts without competitive bidding. (more payoffs I suppose?)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3476/4036391321_ec1da4767e_m.jpg
More
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/28/AR2009102804540_pf.html
President Obama and members of Congress told federal agencies earlier this year to avoid awarding funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to contractors with troubled histories of work for the federal government.
But that isn't happening at numerous agencies, a Washington Post analysis shows. So far, 33 federal departments and agencies have awarded more than $1.2 Billion in stimulus contracts to at least 30 companies that are ranked by one watchdog group as among the most egregious offenders of state and federal laws.
Even a simple Google search could raise red flags about some contractors' performance.
Examples;
Honeywell International, is defending itself against a Justice Department lawsuit accusing it of selling defective shields for bulletproof vests to the Defense and Homeland Security departments, costing the federal government tens of millions of dollars. But that did not prevent the company from winning $2.9 Million in stimulus contracts from the Air Force.
UT-Battelle was cited in 2005 for serious nuclear safety violations at the former Cold War site. And last year, the inspector general cited the company for using $600,000 in federal money for unapproved expenditures on cigars, wine and gifts, including a pen with a built-in USB flash drive, given to guests at a scientific conference.
They has now been awarded 43 Recovery Act contracts worth more than $331 Million. In every instance, competitive bidding rules were waived?
Obama explicitly warned against awarding contracts without competitive bidding. (more payoffs I suppose?)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3476/4036391321_ec1da4767e_m.jpg
More
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/28/AR2009102804540_pf.html