Comer: DHS’s Reliance on No-Bid Contracts is Jeopardizing Taxpayer Dollars for Political Expedience

Initiates an investigation to understand DHS’s justification for bypassing normal contract competition

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) initiated an investigation into the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) pattern of bypassing fair competition and awarding sole source, no-bid contracts worth millions of taxpayer dollars. In a letter to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chairman Comer raises concern that DHS’s reliance on no-bid contracts is jeopardizing taxpayer dollars for political expedience and is seeking all documents and communications to understand DHS’s justification to forego full and open competition for another taxpayer-funded contract.    

“The Biden Administration’s self-inflicted border crisis has cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and the American people are demanding accountability. Not only have the Biden Administration’s policies exacerbated the border crisis, but it also appears the Administration is exploiting the situation to reward its political allies and cover up Secretary Mayorkas’s disastrous decisions,” said Chairman Comer. “DHS has a clear pattern of awarding sole source, no-bid contracts worth millions of dollars and this habit is putting taxpayer funds at severe risk of waste and abuse. DHS leadership has failed to adequately justify the department’s decision to bypass normal contract competition and seems to be prioritizing political expedience. As Chairman, I made it my mission to protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. Oversight Republicans fully expect DHS to provide the Committee all information related to these no-bid contracts.”     

On January 26, 2023, DHS awarded a no-bid contract for legal services worth millions of taxpayer dollars and cited “unusual and compelling urgency” to bypass normal contract competition. In 2022, Oversight Republicans sought information related to a DHS Inspector General report revealing officials also bypassed the ordinary competitive process to award a $87 million contract without complying with relevant regulations. DHS citing an unusual urgency to award no-bid contracts is a potential effort to avoid congressional scrutiny and meaningful oversight. 

To assist the committee in its investigation of the DHS’s use of a sole source contract on January 26, 2023, Chairman Comer is requesting all documents and communications related to the no-bid contract as well as a copy of the contract.  

Read the letter to Secretary Mayorkas here.