On February 18, 2020, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Inspector General Geoffrey A. Cherrington announced a partnership between WMATA Office of Inspector General special agents and the Department of Justice’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF).
This new law enforcement partnership underscores the PCSF’s willingness to team up with state and local agencies to aggressively pursue allegations of procurement fraud and prosecute any wrongdoing. It is important that government contractors of all sizes and in all industries ensure they have the appropriate antitrust protections in place, and that they conduct routine training for all employees involved in the procurement process.
WMATA recently launched a $15.5 billion capital improvement program at the beginning of FY 2020 with funding coming from state and local governments in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, as well as federal grants. Through the program WMATA will purchase new railcars and buses and make other investments in infrastructure and equipment over the next ten years. These projects will provide many business opportunities for government contractors and they will also create a local area of focus for the WMATA-DOJ team.