The General Services Administration (GSA) said Tuesday that it identified more than $13 billion in suspected fraud by federal contractors since March, calling it the largest suspected fraud bust in the agency’s history.
GSA said in an Aug. 25 press release that its review draws on government-wide contracting data, public reporting, and information from agency inspectors general. It is also part of GSA’s collaboration with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
The agency did not identify the contractors or contracts implicated in the review, disclose how many cases are involved, or explain how it calculated the $13 billion figure.
“Let this serve as a warning to any bad actors thinking of stealing from the federal government: we will catch you, we will work with law enforcement to ensure your arrest, and we will do everything in our power to help recover every dollar you stole,” said GSA Administrator Edward Forst.
GSA said it is conducting a review of pandemic-era spending, the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program, contractor eligibility, bid rigging, cybersecurity false claims, and other contractor-integrity risks.
GSA said suspected fraudsters are being referred to agency inspectors general and the Justice Department when appropriate. The agency did not disclose how many referrals it has made or the status of any resulting investigations.
“Stopping all federal fraud requires the work of every federal agency, and the GSA has more than stepped up to the task,” said Scott Brady, executive director of the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
GSA manages more than $126 billion in products and services purchased by federal agencies each year.