Readout of Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force’s Summit in Atlanta

Press Release

The Justice Department, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) hosted a summit today where procurement officials and law enforcement partners from across the Atlanta metropolitan area convened to raise awareness of collusion, corruption and fraud schemes that target government spending. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Huber for the Northern District of Georgia, PCSF Director Daniel W. Glad, Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure and Vijay N. Rao of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division and federal law enforcement partners were joined by representatives from state and local government agencies.

During the summit, U.S. Attorney Buchanan and Director Glad reflected on the PCSF's growth and success since its inception in 2019. They detailed additional resources the department has dedicated to combat procurement collusion and emphasized the importance of law enforcement partnerships and a whole-of-government response to persistent threats in government spending. They also sharpened the PCSF's focus on the challenges, risks and opportunities posed by significant government spending in and around the Atlanta metropolitan area under the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act, which will provide billions in federal spending in Georgia over the next several years.

U.S. Attorney Buchanan and Director Glad also outlined the ways that federal, state and local government agencies can partner with the PCSF to address these emerging threats. Other topics discussed at the summit included ways that government agencies can strengthen their procurement processes to better protect taxpayer funds and meet the mission to provide services to residents. Summit participants included representatives from the FBI, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General, Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Transportation and City of Atlanta Office of Inspector General.

The PCSF is the Justice Department's coordinated, national law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government - federal, state and local. The PCSF is comprised of the Antitrust Division, multiple U.S. Attorneys' Offices around the country, the FBI and Inspectors General for multiple federal agencies.

Since its inception in November 2019, the PCSF has opened more than 100 criminal investigations and trained more than 31,000 people. In that time, the PCSF and Antitrust Division have investigated and prosecuted over 65 companies and individuals involving over $500 million worth of government contracts. The summit marks the department's continued support of the PCSF as it enters its fifth year. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report collusion affecting government contracts, please visit www.justice.gov/atr/procurement-collusion-strike-force.

Trial Attorney McClure, Director Glad, Trial Attorney Rao, U.S. Attorney Buchanan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Huber attend the summit.

Updated March 28, 2024