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Federal officials reported this week that they have reviewed contracts with private security firms hired to guard federal facilities and have made overdue payments to them. But a lawmaker said she will continue to monitor the situation.

A report released by the Homeland Security Department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the bureau paid more than $2.6 million in undisputed claims by Aug. 3, and planned to review another $3.8 million of disputed invoices.

But Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., said the House Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, which she chairs, will continue to monitor the disputed claims.

Norton said that reforms at ICE -- including appointing an ombudsman to oversee the bureau's invoicing system and providing training for contract guard vendors -- will help "eliminate security risks to federal employees where they work."

The report detailed steps the agency had taken since July to solve problems with its invoicing system. ICE has appointed additional financial personnel to "provide hands-on support" to the Federal Protective Service, the agency responsible for managing contract guards. ICE also sent a memo on July 30 to all its contract guard vendors on new consolidated invoice procedures and instituted weekly status reports and conference calls to assess progress on contract guard payments.

The report says the agency would continue to make adjustments "if needed."

Norton requested the ICE report to assess progress on paying contract guards, some of whom claimed in July that they had gone into bankruptcy or been forced to borrow money because the government did not pay them in a timely manner. Some vendors found it difficult to meet their payroll requirements as a result.

"This large amount in overdue, undisputed claims from FPS endangered security at federal sites because it carried the risk that guards would fail to show up for work," Norton said.

Norton also has proposed the Federal Protective Service Guard Contracting Reform Act, which would prohibit the federal government from contracting with companies owned, controlled or operated by people who have been convicted of felonies. Norton wrote the bill in response to the discovery that STARTECH International Security, a private guard vendor, had received funds from the government but had not paid its employees. STARTECH's owner had served time in prison for fraud.

The bill has passed the subcommittee and will face full committee review in September.

COMMENTS

• Competitive outsourcing keeps costs down, thwarts bureaucratic bloating and develops the economy. The vast majority of "contract guards" are ex-vet security police professionals who are answering a calling, not taking a paycheck. The owners, executives, managers and administrators of companies that specialize in homeland security are ordinarily among the most savvy, experienced and patriotic citizens this country can boast. High standards and oversight are not problems for these companies. Minimal due diligence would weed out the rest. Contractor Posted September 7, 2007 5:45 PM
• Thank you for all the constructive comments. Somewhere during the past several years we have lost track of what the issue is. The issue should be, How do we attract and maintain quality security personnel for our federal facilities? Historically in the U.S. "security" was relegated to the lowest tier in jobs. This is not the case in countries such as Israel and Germany where these countries have been the victims of terrorism for many years. After 9/11 and other less publicized incidents we continue to operate under the old paradigm. The work of Congresswoman Norton and others while helpful and far overdue still appears to focus on cleaning up the "business deal" It is simply a matter of priority. In California the same dedicated personnel work these contract posts for many years. Every couple of years a new company comes to town long enough to pass out $7.50 "dime guard" uniform shirts,etc. and head back to headquarters to start collecting their lottery proceeds. For example, some guard companies are issueing revolvers with the wrong holster. These revolvers routinely fall apart and misfire. Contrast this with the U.S. "losing" approximately 250,000 Glock pistols in Iraq. Where is OSHA? Since being placed under DHS the qualifications for a contract guard are rising. (must now be a citizen and have a certain level of security experience and/or training). We still have no retirement, medical or dental. As a result the better officers meet the qualifications for law enforcement and are leaving in droves. What remains are many officers who cannot read or write effectively and/or weigh 400lbs. Please Congresswoman Norton and other representatives get these people the training, authority and compensation necessary to perform this most basic function of government, that of security. ronald parvanian Posted September 9, 2007 2:34 PM
• If FPS would hire GS0085 Federal Security Guards and replace contract security guards to protect our government facilities nationwide...this would alleviate a lot of the problems concerning timely payments to contractors. The GS 0085 Security Guard series is made up of military veterans who have a vested interest in protecting our nation's security at facilities, have the necessary military mindset and work ethic and follow orders and diligence to duty. Hey...this would be a great opportunity for our returning troops and seeking a career in the government. But you can't tell the "powers that be" this fact because they want contractors. How stupid! FPS Employee Posted September 4, 2007 8:03 AM