SIGAR

SIGAR’s Investigation Directorate recently launched a new initiative to prevent waste by sharing key investigative findings with U.S. government contracting officials. SIGAR’s investigators are identifying poorly performing contractors and providing government contracting officials the information needed to terminate or void contracts at risk of wasting significant U.S. funds.

Through this initiative, last quarter SIGAR’s investigators helped terminate for default or void five reconstruction contracts with unspent funds totaling $131 million.

• U.S. contracting officials voided an $80 million trucking contract after SIGAR investigators provided information indicating that the Afghan-owned company that had been awarded a trucking contract was closely affiliated with another transportation company that U.S. officials had deemed ineligible to receive such contracts.

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which provided valuable assistance and support to SIGAR on this effort, terminated three construction contracts to build facilities for the Afghan National Security Forces. These contracts had unexpended funds totaling $51 million.

The public can assist in this effort to terminate or void contracts by staying alert to potential illegal acts. Anyone with information about fraud, waste, and mismanagement of U.S.-funded Afghanistan reconstruction efforts is urged to contact the SIGAR Hotline.

May 23, 2012