USIS, the firm that vetted Snowden and Navy Yard shooter Alexis, faces heat over border contract

[Geee]

Washington Times:

For the first time in its 20-year history, a federal contracting firm is filing a bid protest to overturn the $190 million award of a border security contract to a rival accused of fraud by the Justice Department.

 

Contractor USIS, which vetted NSA leaker Edward Snowden and Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis, won the contract over Virginia-based FCi Federal last month, prompting a bipartisan backlash and demands from lawmakers that Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson turn over records on the contract.

 

The contract award by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, came months after USIS was hit with a Justice Department complaint accusing the firm of falsely certifying that hundreds of thousands of background checks were completed.

“This is the first time in our company’s 20-year history that we have challenged a contract award, and we take our decision to file this protest very seriously,” FCi Federal chief executive Sharon D. Virts said in a statement, explaining the bid protest.

“We are surprised that a company under federal investigation for defrauding the government while conducting security-clearance background investigations can bid for and win government contracts, let alone one directly connected with our nation’s border security,” she said.

But USIS officials defended the award Tuesday, saying in a statement that the contract was awarded to the firm’s professional services division after a “rigorous” two-year competition.