A forthcoming report from the Government Accountability Office cites the potential for fraud and abuse among Alaska Native corporation contractors.

The report found a lack of oversight by the Small Business Administration as Alaska Native contracting has grown to a $1.1 billion industry. A government official told GAO that he would be "laughed out of the office" if he questioned a corporation contract, many of which are awarded on a no-bid, or sole-source, basis.

The GAO studied 16 large contracts awarded to Alaska Native corporations. It found that the some corporations are handing out the work to non-Native companies or creating new entities to keep winning contracts meant for "small" businesses, not large entities.

The report has not yet been released by the GAO. Draft copies have been circulating among Alaska Native corporations and other tribal government contractors.

Get the Story:
Alaska Native Firms Capitalize on No-Bid Deals (The Washington Post 4/12)
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Native no-bid deals probed (The Anchorage Daily News 4/12)
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Relevant Links:
Native American Contractors Association - http://www.nativeamericancontractors.org

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