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GCR proudly serves the Warfighter by ensuring that the Air Force buys its vital products and services only from ethical and competent contractors. We do so by performing three vital missions that have global impact: serving as the Air Force's suspension and debarment authority, coordinating procurement fraud remedies for the Air Force world-wide, and promoting contractor ethics globally.
What is Suspension and Debarment?
Suspensions and debarments are administrative actions governed by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 9.4 that are based on determinations that the contractor is not presently responsible to participate in Government contracting and is excluded from directly or indirectly receiving the benefits of federal assistance programs. Suspensions are indefinite, while debarments are for a certain period of time. Suspensions and debarments may be based on a wide variety of misconduct, including but not limited to violations of criminal and civil laws, poor performance of Government contracts, misconduct unrelated to Government contracts, and unethical conduct generally. The Air Force aggressively pursues these administrative actions whenever appropriate to protect the Air Force's interest.
How Does SAF/GCR Coordinate Fraud Remedies?
GCR's staff includes the Director of the Air Force Procurement Fraud Remedies Program. The Procurement Fraud Team, coordinated through GCR with a global reach, assures that all appropriate fraud remedies are considered and implemented, works to prevent fraud before it happens, strives to educate Air Force personnel on preventing and remedying fraud, coordinates with the U.S. Department of Justice and relevant U.S. Attorneys offices, and encourages contractors to develop values-based ethics and compliance programs to prevent fraud.
What is SAF/GCR's Involvement in Encouraging Global Contractor Ethics?
The Air Force Suspending and Debarring Official is frequently sought out as a leading expert in global business ethics both within and beyond the government contracting realm. Mr. Shaw has consulted on the development of The World Bank's public contract sanctions system, which includes debarments, and on the United Nations debarment and contracting programs. He has also played a leading role in the creation of a global defense contractor forum, the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct (IFBEC). The IFBEC held its first meeting in 2010 in Berlin, Germany, which Mr. Shaw attended and presented a talk entitled "Global View on Government's Expectations." The written report of that meeting stated "[Mr.] Shaw, Deputy General Counsel for the US Air Force, recommended in 2005 'formation of a consortium of international defense contractors dedicated to the issues of ethics and business conduct in international defense procurement.'" Mr. Shaw's recommendation, and his subsequent encouragement of the U.S. Aerospace Industries Association to follow through on that recommendation, helped greatly to facilitate the formation of the IFBEC. SAF/GCR follows Mr. Shaw's lead by working with contractors to set up industry leading ethics programs across the globe and by continually advocating for the advancement of global business ethics.
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