Overcharging for Testing Purposes
In defense contracting, a contractor is expected to provide adequate testing for their materials before these weapons or other items are deployed. This helps promote basic safety standards by checking for design flaws. However, this crucial testing process can also be abused by a contractor. For example, a contractor may overcharge the government to complete these basic tests.
If you suspect a defense contractor of fraud, or to receive more information concerning whistleblower protection under the False Claims Act, contact the qui tam attorneys of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, by calling 202-973-0900 today.
Testing Costs
Defense contractors need to test their weapons systems and equipment before these items are brought out into the field. While these tests are crucial for the safety of service members, some contractors may take unnecessary precautions or deliberately drag out the testing process to increase the overall worth of an unfixed contract. The following methods can be used to increase project costs during the testing phase:
- Building multiple, unnecessary prototypes
- Excessive testing after proven results
- Taking an excessive amount of time to go through testing, thus increasing labor costs
These methods are particularly problematic when a defense contractor is working on a piece of defense technology that features state of the art advancements. These early systems can be extremely expensive to produce and unnecessary production of parts can drastically increase project costs.
Contact Us
If you have information regarding an instance of contract abuse committed by a defense contractor, you may be able to recover a percentage of the funds gained from fraudulent actions. To learn more about your whistleblower rights and options, contact the qui tam lawyers of Tycko & Zavareei, LLP, at 202-973-0900 today.
