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EPA Grants

Suspension and Debarment Program

EPA's management authority includes an effective administrative tool to address waste, fraud, abuse, poor performance, environmental noncompliance or other misconduct: The authority to suspend and or debar individuals and entities.

Suspension and debarment actions prevent companies and individuals from participating in government contracts, subcontracts, loans, grants and other assistance programs. The effect of suspension and debarment by a federal agency is government wide. (See 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 1532). Suspension and debarment actions protect the government from doing business with individuals/companies/recipients who pose a business risk to the government.

Duc H. Nguyen, EPA Suspension and Debarment Official

Suspension


Suspension may be based on indictments, information or adequate evidence involving environmental crimes, contract fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, poor performance, non-performance, or false statements. This is a temporary action which may last up to one year and is effective immediately.

Debarment

Debarments may be based on convictions, civil judgments or fact based cases involving environmental crimes, contract fraud, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, poor performance, non-performance or false statements as well as other causes. The imposition of a debarment period is for a set period of time decided on a case by case basis.

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Statutory Debarment


Statutory debarments occur by operation of law following criminal conviction under the Clean Water Act (Section 508) or the Clean Air Act (Section 306). The ineligibility lasts until the Debarring Official certifies that the condition giving rise to conviction has been corrected.


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