Contract Non-Compliance

June 4, 2021

Mark Sand & Gravel Co., a contractor on federally-funded road construction projects administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, has agreed to pay $1.75 million to settle claims under the federal and Minnesota False Claims Acts.  On three separate projects, Mark Sand & Gravel allegedly failed to follow contract specifications, used substandard gravel materials without authorization, and made false claims and statements regarding those materials.  USAO MN

April 20, 2021

A construction firm in California that allegedly violated federal contracting rules has agreed to pay $2.5 million to resolve civil and criminal charges relating to the misconduct.  In order to qualify for contracts set aside for service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB), the owners of Stronghold Engineering, Inc. (SEI) colluded with Kadena Pacific, Inc. (KPI)—owned by a qualifying veteran and the father of SEI owner Beverly Bailey—to obtain fourteen contracts from the VA that were intended for SDVOSBs.  USAO CDCA

March 1, 2021

Multinational software engineering company SAP Public Services, Inc., has agreed to pay $2.2 million to resolve allegations of failing to pay required fees on contracts signed under the GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule program, which provides a streamlined process for all levels of government agencies to purchase goods and services at discounted prices.  Under MAS contract terms, SAP was required to pay fees that help cover the GSA’s cost of administering the program, but a government investigation found that not only had SAP failed to do so, it did not always meet other contractual requirements.  USAO EDPA

February 26, 2021

United Airlines will pay a total of $49 million to resolve criminal and civil claims that its cargo division fraudulently overcharged the U.S. Postal Service under International Commercial Air (ICAIR) contracts by which United transported U.S. mail internationally.  While the contracts required United to bill the government based on the delivery of mail receptacles, as supported by departure and arrival scans of the receptacles, United submitted false data that was not based on actual scans or the movement of mail, and United employees who knew about the false data and billings took steps to conceal this information.  To resolve the criminal claims, United will pay $17.3 million in penalties and enter into a non-prosecution agreement including specific compliance and reporting requirements; to resolve civil claims under the False Claims Act, United will pay $32.2 million.  DOJ

February 17, 2021

French contractor COLAS Djibouti SARL will pay a total of $14.5 million to resolve claims that it supplied substandard concrete under a contract with the U.S. Navy for construction of Navy airfields in the Republic of Djibouti.  Colas Djibouti was required to certify that concrete supplied met contractual specifications for composition and characteristics, but made fraudulent misrepresentations and created fictitious testing results regarding the concrete’s composition and characteristics.  Defendant entered into a deferred prosecution agreement on criminal claims, paying $12.5 million ($10 million in forfeiture and restitution, and $2.5 million as a criminal penalty).  Defendant also entered into a civil settlement for  $3.9 million, receiving a credit of $1.96 million for its payment under the DPA.  DOJ; USAO SD Cal

December 3, 2020

Workrite Ergonomics LLC and its parent company, Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Co., have agreed to pay $7.1 million to resolve a qui tam suit brought by a former sales manager, Michael Franchek, which alleged that Workrite overcharged the federal government for office furniture purchased under General Services Administration (GSA) contracts.  Workrite allegedly failed to provide GSA, and state agencies that relied on GSA's pricing, with accurate information during contract negotiations, and failed to extend lower prices to government customers as required by contract provisions.  As part of the settlement, Franchek will receive a relator’s share of $1.27 million.  DOJ; USAO NDCA; CA

November 20, 2020

Information technology contractor Cognosante, LLC will pay $19 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by overcharging the government under two GSA Multiple Award Schedule contracts.  The settlement came after Cognosante disclosed to the U.S. that it provided false information concerning its commercial discounting practices during contract negotiations and, during contract performance, charged the government for labor that failed to meet the qualifications set forth in the contracts.  DOJ; USAO DC

September 24, 2020

California will receive $7 million in a settlement with HSBC resolving claims that the financial services company overcharged the state’s California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) for foreign currency trading in violation of the California False Claims Act.  Cal