MCI gets a busy signal
Connecting state and local government leaders
The General Services Administration yesterday suspended MCI WorldCom from competing for new federal contracts and also suspended four more former executives of the troubled FTS 2001 contractor. <br>
The General Services Administration yesterday suspended MCI WorldCom from competing for new federal contracts and also suspended four more former executives of the troubled FTS 2001 contractor.
That means the six now-suspended former employees cannot participate in government bidding if they join new companies, GSA spokeswoman Mary Alice Johnson said today. They are: MCI chief financial officer Scott Sullivan, controller David Myers, chief executive officer Bernard Ebbers, general accounting director Buford Yates, management reporting director Betty Vinson and legal accounting director Troy Normand.
'They are disqualified from doing any business with the government,' Johnson said.
The move is a blow to MCI, which has been struggling to reconstitute itself, with federal business as a major revenue source (see story at www.gcn.com/22_16/interview/22469-1.html). Johnson said the contractor is doing an estimated $700 million to $1 billion in federal business for fiscal 2003.
MCI has not challenged the decision before GSA's suspension and debarment officer, Joe Neurauter. It may do so within 30 days according to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Johnson said.
The Ashburn, Va., telecommunications giant has been under attack from rivals such as Verizon Inc. and AT&T Corp., which have claimed that the company improperly routed calls to avoid access charges and that because of WorldCom's bankruptcy and accounting scandal, the company should not be allowed to win government contracts.
While still in bankruptcy and under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, WorldCom has won several federal contracts, including the Defense Research and Engineering Network, a $450 million contract to provide long-haul communication service for more than 5,000 users.
In response to GSA's action yesterday, WorldCom said it accepted the proposed debarment and will implement new internal controls and strengthen its Ethics Office.
GSA's decision will not affect WorldCom's ability to serve current customers, the company said. WorldCom is expected to emerge from bankruptcy in October.
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