Army: AF captain gave contracts to her lover

[unhappycamper]

Army: AF captain gave contracts to her lover
By Matt Kelley - USA Today
Posted : Thursday Nov 15, 2007 19:50:03 EST

The Army has threatened to ban a private security firm in Iraq from government work because an executive allegedly got inside information to win $2.5 million in contracts.

Eric Barton, a former manager in Iraq for EOD Technology, was accused by the Army Suspension and Debarment Office of helping his company win convoy security work last year while having an affair with Air Force Capt. Sherrie Remington, a contracting officer, according to records released to USA TODAY under the Freedom of Information Act.

Remington gave Barton information about previous security contracts and awarded his company seven contracts between January and March of 2006, according to the records from the Army Suspension and Debarment Office.

Remington gave two contracts to EODT without asking for other bids, and approved three other contracts for the Tennessee-based company even though other firms had lower bids, the records show. In contracting files, Remington said the lower-priced competitors were either too busy with other work or had problems delivering on past contracts.

The Army told EODT in a show-cause letter issued on Sept. 14 that it was considering banning the company from future contracts because the allegations against Barton may show weaknesses with the company’s management and ethics. Before making a final decision, the Army’s anti-fraud office requested documents detailing the company’s internal controls and policies to show why it shouldn’t be banned from government work.

The Army Suspension and Debarment Office also notified the former company executive in September that the Army proposed banning him from any future government contracts. Pentagon regulations do not set a deadline for the Army to take final action.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/11/airforce_contractor_sex_071116/