**GAO-11-739**                      Published: Aug 31, 2011. Publicly Released: Oct 06, 2011.                  

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## Highlights

The federal government spent more than $535 billion on contracted goods and services in fiscal year 2010. One tool for ensuring that agencies are only awarding contracts to responsible sources is the use of suspensions and debarments--actions taken by agencies to exclude firms or individuals from receiving federal contracts or assistance based on various types of misconduct. This report analyzed (1) the nature and extent of governmentwide exclusions reported in the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) maintained by the General Services Administration; (2) the relationship, if any, between practices at various agencies and the level of suspensions and debarments under federal acquisition regulations; and (3) governmentwide efforts to oversee and coordinate the use of suspensions and debarments across federal agencies. GAO reviewed EPLS data and suspension and debarment programs at 10 federal agencies, including those with relatively more suspensions and debarments and those with few or none to identify differences between the two groups.

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## GAO Contacts

William T. Woods
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## Topics

National Defense

BriberyContract administrationContract performanceContractor debarmentContractor violationsFederal agenciesFederal procurementFederal procurement policyFraudProcurement practicesProcurement regulationsGovernment contractsPolicy evaluationPolicies and procedures

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##### Agencies' Suspension and Debarment of Contractors

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