Subject: RELEASE: Clinton Measure to Bar Bonuses for Underperforming Homeland Security Contractors Included in Omnibus Appropriations Bill
From: "Clinton, Press Office (Clinton)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:57:14 -0500

Statements & Releases - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York

 

For Immediate Release

December 17, 2007

Contact:
Clinton Press Office (202) 224-2243 or

[email-masked]

 

CLINTON MEASURE TO BAR BONUSES FOR UNDERPERFORMING HOMELAND SECURITY
CONTRACTORS INCLUDED IN OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that she
has secured inclusion of a measure in the Omnibus Appropriations bill
that will bar the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from giving
award fees or bonuses to contractors without regard to performance.
Senator Clinton's amendment requires DHS to give award fees, or bonuses,
to contractors only if the contractor meets specific outlined
stipulations in their contract.  The Omnibus Appropriations bill is
expected to be considered this week by the House and Senate.   

"The Department of Homeland Security should be holding their contractors
accountable and not rewarding bad behavior.  With high risk areas like
New York fighting for precious homeland security funds, it is outrageous
that DHS is awarding bonuses to contractors that they haven't even
earned," said Senator Clinton.  

A number of reports have revealed that the Department of Homeland
Security has been giving private contractors award fees without proper
justification.  In 2005, the Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) awarded a contract to Boeing initially estimated to be worth $508
million. The Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security
found that the TSA gave Boeing at least $44 million in award fees
without evaluating the company's performance. Earlier this year, the
Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that despite documented
problems in schedule, performance, cost control, and contract
administration throughout the first year of the Coast Guard Deepwater
contract, a DHS contractor had received a rating of 87 percent, which
fell in the "very good" range and resulted in an award fee of $4
million. 

Senator Clinton's amendment requires DHS to give award fees or bonuses
to contractors only if the contractor meets the stipulations related to
cost, schedule, and performance outlined in the contract. If a
contractor receives a poor performance evaluation, exceeds costs
specified in the contract, or does not meet the deadlines specified in
the contract, then the contractor will not receive an award fee or bonus
from DHS.

Just recently HRC wrote to the DHS Inspector General calling for an
investigation into the contracting practices by DHS.  Click
<http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=287906&&>
here to view Senator Clinton's letter. 

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