NCJ Number
72823
Date Published
1979
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) which reviewed three service contracts at the Goddard Space Flight Center points to a lack of internal controls for minimizing fraud.
Abstract
Problems in the paint contract included inadequate painting specifications, incorrect estimates of the work to be performed, excessive payments, and painters that did not meet contract qualification requirements. The report recommended that Goddard officials terminate or renegotiate the painting contract and provide new and better specifications, change the review process in order to detect contract shortcomings, remove the technical monitor on the contract because of the conflict-of-interest situation, and determine whether one of the buildings actually needed painting and whether the contractor had received any excess payments. The report also recommended that the option to renew the health services contract should not be exercised and that NASA procurement regulations should be amended to prevent the use of award-fee contracts when a sound description of acceptable or improved work levels could not be outlined. Review of award-fee contracts held by other NASA centers and periodic floor checks by technical monitors were also recommended. The report also advised the application of NASA's risk assessment program to the computer facility to determine what threats exists, their significance, and the cost of any additional controls needed.