The Defense Department said Aug. 31 it had begun to reform portions of its contingency contracting operations even before the Wartime Contracting Commission released its final report that found at least $31 billion was lost to fraud and waste since the early days of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Defense officials have increased the prosecution of fraudulent contractors and boosted the department’s overall acquisition workforce, including contracting officer representatives, who manage a contract after it has been awarded and then play an important part in avoiding waste, DOD said.
“We have already implemented a number of steps to improve contingency contracting based on the department’s own analysis, as well as recommendations from the independent reviews of the Government Accountability Office and the inspector general, and the commission’s previous publications and interim reports,” said Marine Col. Dave Lapan, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for media operations.
“Monitoring, assessing, and taking corrective action is a continuous process within the department, and we continually improve our planning, oversight, and the management of contractors on the battlefield,” he added.
— by Matthew Weigelt – Washington Technology – Sept. 02, 2011 – http://washingtontechnology.com/Articles/2011/09/01/reaction-defense-department-wartime-contracting-commission.aspx?s=wtdaily_060911&p=1
