12319826R5000 Retailer Investigations

Summary (Newest Update)

Background The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), Office of Retailer Operations and Compliance (ROC), requires qualified vendors to support the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by providing non-personal services in support of retailer investigations. The objective is to reduce fraud, waste, and program abuse by furnishing personnel capable of conducting investigations of retailers suspected of committing SNAP fraud, recommending approaches for identifying emerging methods of potential retailer fraud, identifying additional retailers engaged in fraudulent activity, and coordinating with state and local partners in investigations when directed by FNA. Work Details The Contractor shall: 1) Conduct investigations of retailers identified by FNA suspected of SNAP fraud. 2) Recommend approaches for identifying emerging methods of potential retailer fraud and enhancing investigative techniques. 3) Identify additional retailers within the surrounding area that may be engaged in fraudulent activity during assigned investigations. 4) Coordinate with state and local partners in the investigation of SNAP fraud when explicitly directed by FNA. Investigators must possess a minimum of five years of investigative experience, complete comprehensive background screenings, and demonstrate professionalism, adaptability, strong reasoning ability, excellent communication skills, observation skills, listening skills, bilingual or multilingual capability, computer literacy, and preferably prior law enforcement experience. Investigators shall conduct investigative passes at retail stores identified by FNA in Requests for Investigation (RFI), which will be issued weekly or more frequently based on operational needs. They will conduct purchases and attempt purchases of non-SNAP eligible items as part of their investigative activities. Period of Performance The geographic location(s) the contract will be performed (if provided) Place of Performance Investigative activities will occur across various states as determined by operational needs; specific regions include Eastern Region states such as Alabama through Virginia and Western Region states such as Alaska through Wyoming. Bidder Requirements Bidders must ensure that all investigators have completed a comprehensive background screening including U.S. citizenship verification, education verification, statewide and national criminal history checks, prior employment verification, drug testing, and registration under individual state license requirements if applicable. All contractor personnel must possess a National Agency Check Inquiries (NACI) Tier 1 background investigation. Incumbent Analysis (see Incumbents section for more detail) This opportunity appears to have a confirmed incumbent based on the prior contract 12319821C0004 awarded to Coventbridge USA for $41,151,633 (07/13/21–07/12/26). That contract required investigators to conduct retailer investigations for suspected SNAP fraud, recommend approaches for identifying emerging fraud methods, identify additional potentially fraudulent retailers nearby, and coordinate with state and local partners—activities that closely align with the current requirement to perform non-personal investigative services for SNAP retailer investigations and related coordination.