McKenna Long & Aldridge Partner Sandy Hoe Testifies on Reforms to DCAA and Federal Contract Auditing

Feb. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- WASHINGTON — Sandy Hoe, a partner in the government contracts practice of McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA), testified last week before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting as part of a hearing, "Improving Federal Contract Auditing."  The hearing examined how federal agencies use contract audits to detect and prevent waste, fraud and abuse in government contracts by bringing together Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA), U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), executive agencies and the government contractor community to discuss how to improve federal contract auditing.  

Hoe appeared on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and alongside Jeanette Franzel of the Government Accountability Office and Project on Government Oversight Director of Investigations Nick Schwellenbach.  As the sole witness representing industry, Hoe identified not only long-standing concerns with the quality and timeliness of DCAA's audits, but also more recent concerns with DCAA's strident interpretation of the rules, as well as DCAA's usurping of the contracting officer's role.  Committee Chair Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), a former state auditor and prosecutor immediately questioned Hoe’s position on the role of the auditor in relation to the contracting officer.  His in-depth knowledge of government contracting and experience as a trial lawyer enabled him to answer adroitly the senator's questions and rebut her accusations.

To read a copy of Hoe’s testimony, go to http://www.mckennalong.com/media/site_files/1426_HoeTesti....

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