Audit Reports on PSCs in Iraq
The 2008 Defense Authorization (section 842) gives the SIGIR authority to audit and report out on contractors in Iraq. One report that just came out yesterday is on Aegis and its security contracting for the DoD. Aegis won the initial high-paying contract to run the Reconstruction Operations Center (ROC) for the Army in Iraq. Now it operates the Contractor Operations Cells (CONOCs) that took over the coordination and info-sharing function of PSCs in OIF from the ROC. Basically, Aegis comes out looking good.
There is another one on KBR as well. KBR is a oil construction and facilities support contractor. It does not provide security personnel as its core business but the military changed its standing policy early on in OIF to require reconstruction contractors to provide their own security. This is how the security contracting costs get buried since the PSCs are a sub-contractor on this kind of thing.
And, the two most pertinent to me are related reports:
1. the DOS Inspector General (H. Geisel) Report on DOS’s PSCs post-Nisoor, Report Number MERO-IQO-09-02, January 2009. “Review of Diplomatic Security’s Management of Personal Protective Services in Iraq”. This one looks at Washington and Iraq management issues, labor costs, and government-issued equipment.
2. The December 2008 DOS IG report, “Status of the Sec. of State’s Panel on Personal Protective Services in Iraq Report Recommendations” (”MERO-01″) (Dec. 17, 2008). This discusses “improved coordination and oversight of security contractors” and goes over Panel recommendations.
