The Invisible Accountant...

The difference between Transparency in Government and Unicorns? There may be some fossil record of Unicorns!

Forensic accounting hacking these last few weeks, my brain hurts!

Let us compare the numbers from two Government Sources (Part of the mandate BY LAW according to the Transparency In Government Act):

1) https://www.fpds.gov

2) https://www.usaspending.gov

We will be looking at three contracts:

1) W91CRB-10-C-0177

2) W91CRB-10-C-0178

3) W91CRB-10-C-0179

First let's look at the numbers according to https://www.fpds.gov:

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0177 = $115,551,120.74

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0178 = $16,678,399.50

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0179 = $180,065,553.11

Federal Procurement Data System - Next Generation Web Page Total = $312,295,073.35

Now let's look at the numbers for these same contracts according to https://www.fbo.gov/:

Contract Award Number:W91CRB-10-C-0177 = $260,740,775.44

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0178 = $255,338,695.61

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0179 = $257,412,786.74

Federal Business Opportunities Web Page Total = $773,492,257.79

And for symmetry, let us see what the Department of Justice reported for these three contracts to the Chief Justice of The Court of Federal Claim in my case, CANVS V USA:

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0177 = $102,992,596.00

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0178 = $16,104,000.00

Contract Award Number: W91CRB-10-C-0179 = $161,422,561.20

DOJ reported total = $280,519,157.20

Only in the US Government can $280,519,157.20 be the same as $312,295,073.35 and the same as $773,492,257.79.

Just for the record, the difference between the DOJ numbers and the fbo.gov numbers is $492,973,100.59! So far I seem to be the only person expressing any concern, I will let you know if anyone shares my interest in this disparity going forward.