Pursuit's Take
Between 2009 and 2013, the Department of Transportation (DOT) spent an average of approximately $6.2 billion each year on contracts. Over 20,000 of the contracts awarded during this time ended by December 31, 2013,1 and therefore should have been closed or in the process of being closed in accordance with Federal and DOT requirements.
The Department does not fully ensure its Operating Administrations comply with Federal and departmental closeout requirements. These Operating Administrations frequently did not close out contracts timely. In total, 42 of the 58 closed contracts in OIG’s sample were not closed out within required timeframes—with delays ranging from 19 to 3,019 days and averaging 1,037 days.