law enforcement | The Contracting Education Academy

February 19, 2021 By cs

What to expect for False Claims Act enforcement under new Administration

Although Department of Justice (DOJ) recoveries under the False Claims Act (FCA) reached historic lows in FY2020, President Biden’s administration is poised to usher in a return to aggressive FCA enforcement.

Under President Obama, DOJ’s FCA recoveries hit all-time peaks, totaling over $5 billion in 2012, $6.1 billion in 2014, and $4.9 billion in 2016. From there, they trended consistently downward throughout the Trump Administration, averaging under $3 billion annually. Given the Biden Administration’s focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and stimulating the economy, we anticipate that DOJ’s scrutiny of alleged fraud in government programs will be as probing as ever.

In the 1980s, then-Senator Biden supported the seminal 1986 amendments to the FCA, emphasizing in his Senate remarks that enforcement should enjoy bipartisan support: “Fraud against the Government is not a matter that ought to be used for political advantage. . . . It is not a matter that divides Democrats from Republicans.”

More recently, as Vice President under President Obama, Biden famously oversaw the 2009 Recovery Act in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and touted the lower-than-average rate of fraud investigations into the stimulus spending. In 2011, he also led the Government Accountability and Transparency Board to advance efforts to detect and remediate fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs as part of the “Campaign to Cut Waste.” When announcing this campaign, he underscored his commitment “to changing the way government works and . . . stepping up the hunt for misspent dollars.”

Keep reading this article at: https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/government-contracts-procurement-ppp/1035290/what-to-expect-for-false-claims-act-enforcement-under-the-biden-administration

August 1, 2017 By AMK

Pentagon fixing problems that let fake federal agency get $1.2 million in military hardware

Officials from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) told Congress that they have taken several steps to shore up the integrity of a program that distributes surplus military equipment to law enforcement agencies after the Government Accountability Office demonstrated that it was highly susceptible to fraud.

But the assurances were insufficient for at least two senior members of Congress, who say the Defense Department needs to suspend its transfers of “controlled” military equipment until DLA has completely solved the internal control problems GAO identified in a recently-disclosed sting operation.

At issue is one of the two surplus property programs operated by DLA’s Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO). Although the division that deals with state and local law enforcement agencies appears to have more robust safeguards to keep equipment from falling into the wrong hands, GAO showed that it was able to pose as a federal agency that does not exist to get hold of $1.2 million in military gear that’s not available to the general public.

In an audit released last week, the office said its investigators, posing as employees of the fake federal agency, sought and gained approval to participate in the program by corresponding with DLA solely via email. Later, the undercover GAO employees were able to pick up more than 100 pieces of controlled property from DLA warehouses — and in two of the three cases, did so without being asked to show any form of identification.

Keep reading this article at: https://federalnewsradio.com/defense/2017/07/pentagon-fixing-problems-that-let-fake-federal-agency-get-1-2-million-in-military-hardware/

April 3, 2017 By AMK

Your agency need a helicopter? GSA can help with that

If you’re in the market for a helicopter capable of tactical law enforcement operations or snuffing forest fires, the General Services Administration can hook you up.

The agency posted on its Interact site that it was expediting the awarding of helicopters configured for law enforcement, firefighting, and search and rescue operations under its Multiple Awards Schedule 84 — Total Solutions for Law Enforcement.

The awards schedule provides several law enforcement products — from vehicles to drug testing equipment and fire safety materials — and offers state and local governments access to those products through the Cooperative Purchasing Program.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.federaltimes.com/articles/need-a-helicopter-gsa-can-help-with-that

Although Department of Justice (DOJ) recoveries under the False Claims Act (FCA) reached historic lows in FY2020, President Biden’s administration is poised to usher in a return to aggressive FCA enforcement.

If you’re in the market for a helicopter capable of tactical law enforcement operations or snuffing forest fires, the General Services Administration can hook you up.

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