Federal contractor suspensions and debarments are on the rise, and administration officials say their aggressive approach is the reason.

Contractor suspensions and debarments rose to 3,326 in FY2011, up from 2,263 in FY2010 and from 1,918 in FY2009, according to the latest reports from the Interagency Suspension & Debarment Committee.

Joe Jordan, Office of Federal Procurement Policy administrator, credited the increase to strong efforts by the administration.

“It is critical that the government take a hard line against those who would defraud taxpayers,” Jordan wrote in the OMB blog.

In FY2011, OPM had the most debarments, with 765; followed by HUD, 314; DHS, 222; Defense Logistics Agency, 190; and US Army, 179.

HUD led suspensions with 240; Air Force, 148; EPA, 113; and US Army, 112.

More information:
http://www.epa.gov/isdc/