Contract ends Stripes’ relationship with ASY

[unhappycamper]

Contract ends Stripes’ relationship with ASY
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Friday, May 23, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Defense Department has awarded a $3 million contract for the public relations firm Susan Davis International to represent America Supports You, one of the last steps toward ending a controversial relationship with Stars and Stripes.

The Defense Media Center awarded the competitively bid contract on May 14, said Cmdr. Greg Hicks, a Defense Department spokesman.

Currently, Stripes administers a delivery order with Susan Davis to promote America Supports You, a Defense Department public affairs program that gives publicity to nonprofit groups that support U.S. troops.

The Office of the Defense Department Inspector General is conducting an audit due this summer that is looking at whether the newspaper was used to improperly convert money allocated by Congress into nonappropriated funds to pay for contracts for America Supports You.

Hicks said Wednesday that the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Public Affairs, utilized the Stars and Stripes Contracting office for a variety of contracts including America Supports You, Web design and maintenance, and administrative contracts depending on a rage of needs and requirements.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=55020

[Ian David]

1. "... to improperly convert money allocated by Congress into nonappropriated funds..."

Embezzlement and money-laundering?

RICOH violations?