Audit Faults Payment of $681,379 to OSHA Consultant (violated Federal law & regulations)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/02/AR2009040203229.html?hpid=moreheadlines

By R. Jeffrey Smith
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, April 3, 2009; Page A02

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration paid more than half a million dollars to a consultant from the home state of the agency's director without keeping any "work products" produced by the consultant, an act that violated the terms of a government contract, federal laws and regulations, and Department of Labor policies, according to an audit by the department's Office of Inspector General.

The hiring and pay decisions are the subject of a continuing special investigation, but the audit report said that because of "violations and irregularities," the government should immediately demand the return of $681,379 paid to the consultant, Randy Kimlin. He is a former chemical company executive who agency officials say played a large role in the day-to-day operations of the agency under then-Director Edwin G. Foulke Jr., an appointee of President George W. Bush.

The improperly paid sum represents a total of $572,946 billed for Kimlin's labor over a period of 27 months ending in mid-2008 and an additional $108,434 in compensation for his commuting costs from South Carolina, the report said.

His work was illegally authorized without competition or proper authority from the Labor Department, the audit added. "There is potential criminal activity related to the audit findings," said Jeffrey Lagda, a spokesman for the inspector general.

FULL story at link.