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In doubt? Check with GTPAC!

July 26, 2018 By Andrew Smith

Your team at the Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) stands ready to offer you advice about any aspect of government contracting — especially when you have any doubt about the legitimacy of a contract-related service or solicitation.

We’ve published many articles before about government contracting scams (click here to see previous articles), and once again we want to bring another one to your attention.

Just a few days ago, a GTPAC client contacted one of our Counselors and asked about the legitimacy of a request for a quotation he received, supposedly from the Dept. of Defense (DoD).  Once we examined the email and the attachment that our client sent us, we told him to run — not walk — away from it!

Here Are the Details

The email was purportedly from a DoD official soliciting a quote for some laptops and computer drives.

We examined the email and its attachment, including the following:

  • We called the phone number in the email which was answered by a person who didn’t identify himself.  When we asked questions, he said that he’d have the person identified in the email call us back with details.  No one called back.
  • We checked the identity of the person who supposedly sent the email.  The email’s Quote form identified him as Deputy Director for Procurement at AT&L.   We determined that, in reality, he is DoD’s Deputy Director for Earned Value Management.  AT&L (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) is a unit within DoD that no longer exists; it’s been reorganized into two groups: research and engineering (R&E) and acquisition and sustainment (A&S).  (See details of that reorganization by clicking here.)
  • We also identified the DoD official’s real email address and his actual phone number; they were not the email address or phone number shown in the email and on the Quote form that was sent to our client.
  • We noted that the federal solicitation number shown on the Quote form was not in the correct format, and the Quote form itself was not a form we have ever seen before.
  • The wording of the email was sloppy and unprofessionally prepared.

Based on the above, we advised our client to not respond because we believe this is a probable scam which will lead to an order to ship the products to a bogus shipping address, for which payment will never be received.  We also alerted the appropriate DoD officials of this probable scam.

What You Should Do

It’s as simple as 1-2-3.

  1. Stay alert to possible scams involving government contracting.  There are many scams in circulation literally every day.
  2. Don’t let the temptation of landing a sale overtake your common sense.  If it looks like easy money, it’s probably bogus.
  3. Whenever you are in doubt, contact GTPAC for advice.  We’ll be happy to check things out for you and provide you with our opinion.  It’s as simple as forwarding anything suspicious to us at: gtpacatl@innovate.gatech.edu.

Remember, the GTPAC team is here to help you succeed in the government marketplace!

P.S.:  If your business is located outside the state of Georgia, you can find a procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) by clicking here.

 

Filed Under: Contracting Tips Tagged With: abuse, cyberattack, cybersecurity, DLA, fraud, grant, grants, Grants.gov, network services, phishing, scam, small business, spoofing

How to recognize and avoid grant scams

February 2, 2018 By Andrew Smith

If an individual contacts you about an opportunity to obtain free money in the form of a grant from the federal government, be extremely wary.  You are likely being targeted as part of a scam.  Any of the following statements should put you on high alert:

“Great news! You are eligible to receive a government grant.“

Fact: The government does not contact individuals to award grants for which there has been no application. An individual who makes this claim is not from the government and could be trying to collect private personal data from you, such as your Social Security number, bank account number or other such information.

“For a small fee, you can obtain a government grant.“

Fact: The government does not charge a fee for individuals or entities applying for a federal grant. While financial information may be required as part of the application process, it should be submitted through a government website, such as Grants.gov, and there should never be a cost to you.

“The Federal Bureau of Grant Awards has awarded you a $8,000 grant.“

Fact: Beware of individuals claiming to work for grants-related government bureaus and departments that do not actually exist. The individual may even provide a valid address for a government office, adding a touch of realism to their claim, but do not be fooled.

“Our office is located in Washington, D.C.“

Fact: Current technology can fool caller ID systems into reporting that a caller is phoning from Washington, D.C. In fact, a scam artist could be calling from anywhere in the world. Similar tactics can be used with email addresses in online communication, so be alert!

“This type of federal grant does not require an application.“

Fact: Every grant from the federal government involves an application submitted through a government website, such as Grants.gov. Also, you cannot apply for federal grants over the phone or via email. Any individual claiming that a grant does not require an application, or requires only a phone call or an email, is attempting to scam you.

“You won the government grant in a drawing.“

Fact: The government does not award grants based on a drawing or raffle; an individual or entity must first apply for the grant through a federal website, like Grants.gov. Any individual who claims the government is awarding a grant, for example, to a lucky group of citizens who have paid their taxes on time is attempting to scam you.

“You have been awarded a federal grant that you can spend any way you like.“

Fact: Federal grants are usually awarded for specific programs, research or projects – most often to local governments, organizations, institutions and universities. Beware of any individual who promises a government award that can be spent on paying down tuition or credit card debt, or home electronics and décor.

Source: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grant-fraud/grant-related-scams.html

Filed Under: Contracting Tips Tagged With: fraud, grant, grants, Grants.gov, scam

9 service branches and agencies invite small businesses to propose innovative solutions

April 26, 2016 By Andrew Smith

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) are inviting small businesses to propose innovative solutions as a part of the latest Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) solicitations.

The SBIR/STTR solicitations are now open for a pre-release time period.  During the pre-release period proposing firms have an opportunity to contact topic authors by telephone or e-mail to ask technical questions about specific topics.

For the STTR offering, the Navy and the DMEA are inviting small businesses and research institutions to jointly propose cooperative research and development efforts.

The SBIR program was established by Congress in 1982 to fund research and development (R&D) by U.S. owned and operated businesses of less than 500 employees.  SBIR, the nation’s largest source of early-stage technology financing, is administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through 11 federal agencies and is funded at more than $2 billion annually. The DoD accounts for more than half of the federal government’s total SBIR/STTR program.  The STTR program enacted by Congress in 1992, similar in structure to SBIR, provides early-stage R&D funding directly to small companies working cooperatively with researchers at universities and other research institutions.

Use this link below to access the current open solicitations and search the available topics:  https://sbir.defensebusiness.org/topics.  Topic descriptions and instructions are available in HTML, PDF, and WORD formats.

IMPORTANT DATES and DEADLINES:

  • April 22, 2016:  Pre-Release solicitation opens
  • May 23, 2016:   Solicitation opens for submission of SBIR and STTR proposals.
  • June 22. 2016:  Solicitation closes to receipt of proposals at 6:00 AM ET-plan ahead and submit early.

Once DoD begins accepting proposals on May 23, no further direct contact between proposers and topic authors is allowed, but proposers may submit written questions through the SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the  questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing.

Quick Links:

MDA SBIR/STTR

DoD SBIR/STTR

SBA SBIR/STTR

Filed Under: Contracting News Tagged With: Air Force, Army, DARPA, DMEA, DoD, DTRA, grants, MDA, Navy, OSD, presolicitation, R&D, research, SBA, SBIR, STTR

Alert: Government does not use social media or phone calls to solicit, review, or make awards

June 2, 2015 By ei2admin

Recently the The General Service Administration’s Federal Service Desk has been receiving reports from the public that they have been contacted by persons representing themselves to be government officials claiming that in order to qualify for federal grant money they must first send the purported agent either personal information or money or both.

The imposters claim to be with the Community for Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) or a similarly named organization, and not the federally-run Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA).

The government’s CFDA does not use social media or direct phone contact to solicit, review, or make awards.

If you are contacted this way, you are advised to pass all information to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (www.ic3.gov) and your local law enforcement authorities.  This can also be reported to the GSA Inspector General’s Fraud Line (800-424-5210), via e-mail fraudnet@gsaig.gov, or using the web form  at http://www.gsaig.gov/index.cfm/hotline/-hotline-form.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) provides a full listing of all Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi- public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) provides a full listing of all Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi- public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals.

The CFDA homepage now shows the following FAQ:

Q – “What should I do if I receive unsolicited contact from someone claiming to be a CFDA representative?”

A – “The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) program does not use social media or contact individuals by phone to solicit, review, or make awards. Additionally, no government staff will call or message you requesting money in order to be eligible for an award. Please report any information and documentation that you have related to this incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) (www.ic3.gov) and your local law enforcement authorities.”

Filed Under: Contracting Tips Tagged With: CFDA, FBI, fraud, grants, GSA

Nearly half of the largest federal contractors are also receiving federal grants and loans

April 1, 2015 By ei2admin

Forty-nine of the federal government’s top 100 contractors also won grants, loans or tax credits over the past 15 years, according to a study released last week by the nonprofit research center Good Jobs First.

Two-thirds of the $68 billion in federal business grants and tax credits since 2000 went to large corporations, said the study and update of an accompanying database that includes federal data for the first time.

The federal contractor with the most grants and allocated tax credits was General Electric, with $836 million, mostly from the Energy and Defense departments, the study found. The “double dipper” with the most loans and loan guarantees was Boeing Co., with $64 billion in assistance from the Export-Import Bank. Boeing’s “more than $18 billion in fiscal 2014 contract awards, combined with the $457 million in federal grants and $64 billion in federal loans and loan guarantees since 2000, make it exceptionally favored by Uncle Sam,” the nonprofit wrote.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.govexec.com/contracting/2015/03/nearly-half-largest-federal-contractors-are-also-receiving-federal-grants-and-loans/107721/

Filed Under: Contracting News Tagged With: federal contracting, grants, loans

Grants and missile defense hit hardest in DoD’s science and technology budget request

April 25, 2014 By ei2admin

Overall funding for the Defense Department’s science and technology budget undergo about a $500 million reduction in the president’s fiscal 2015 budget proposal, with grants and missile defense bearing the brunt of the cut, says a DoD official.

About $200 million of the proposed budget reduction would come from cuts to grant programs nationwide, which equates to about 1,500 grants, said Alan Shaffer, acting assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering.

The department also took about $150 million out of its Missile Defense Agency Science and Technology program, said Shaffer during an April 8 hearing of the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on emerging threats and capabilities. The decision made sense because much of the technology has matured to a level where it could be moved to other parts of the department, he added.

Keep reading this article at: http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/grants-missile-defense-hit-hardest-dod-st-budget-request/2014-04-17 

Filed Under: Contracting News Tagged With: budget cuts, DARPA, DoD, grants, innovation, research, science, sequestration, technology

White House to expand small business access to federal innovation, grants

January 15, 2013 By ei2admin

The Obama administration plans to help small businesses access new markets  quicker by giving them better access to technology developed in federal  laboratories, as well as by expanding grant programs.

As part of its recently updated small business cross agency priority framework, the administration says it wants agencies to take steps to streamline  the process for private-public research partnerships so that startups can access  research and development grants 50 percent faster.

Keep reading this article at: White House to expand small business access to federal innovation, grants – FierceGovernment http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/white-house-expands-small-business-access-federal-innovation-grants/2013-01-08#ixzz2Hb2FbXP6

Subscribe: http://www.fiercegovernment.com/signup?sourceform=Viral-Tynt-FierceGovernment-FierceGovernment

Filed Under: Contracting News Tagged With: grants, innovation, R&D, research, SBIR, small business, small business goals, STTR, technology transfer

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