EPA watchdog warns of ‘procurement collusion’

By Kevin Bogardus | 03/12/2024 01:22 PM EDT

Insufficient controls over contract data could prevent the agency from rooting out bid rigging and price fixing, the agency’s inspector general cautioned.

EPA Office of Inspector General.

A sign on the door of EPA's Office of Inspector General, as photographed Feb. 4, 2020. Francis Chung/POLITICO

This story was updated at 1:35 p.m. EDT.

EPA’s internal watchdog said the agency needs to up its game to detect and prevent fraud by contractors.

EPA’s Office of Inspector General said in a report released Tuesday that the agency’s acquisitions office lacks strong controls for its vendors. The office doesn’t store or organize its procurement data to allow for easy oversight and management that could root out “fraudulent, collusive behavior.”

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Adam Seefeldt, acting assistant inspector general for strategic analysis and results, said in a statement that EPA “does not have sufficient internal controls” for its contract solicitations, which could prevent fraud, such as bid rigging and price fixing.

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