Trafficking in Persons Persists in U.S. Government Contractors Overseas

The U.S. government's zero-tolerance policy on human trafficking and forced labor has not halted trafficking in persons (TIP) of foreign workers on U.S. government contracts overseas. Despite this policy, selected Department of Defense (DOD) components have conducted limited oversight of contractors and have not met combating trafficking in persons (CTIP) training requirements for contracts. This lack of oversight and training has led to foreign workers alleging labor abuses, including wage withholding, as reported by some workers. Army and Navy contracting officials we met with were unaware of or unclear on their training and oversight responsibilities for combating trafficking.

Key Takeaways:

• 12 of 14 Army and Navy contracting officers and contracting officer representatives (CORs) GAO spoke with said they were not aware of their CTIP oversight responsibilities, as set forth in CTIP guidance.
• 9 of 14 individuals said they took a CTIP training other than the required training for acquisition professionals.
• DOD CTIP guidance, as of fiscal year 2018, no longer requires components to report the number or percentage of personnel trained, which may limit DOD's awareness about whether acquisition professionals have taken their required training.
• The Army and DOD's Office of Inspector General (DODIG) have systems for tracking investigations of TIP incidents, but the Army and DODIG did not report all TIP violations and investigations in contracts in annual self-assessments, as required by DOD guidance.
• Two investigations led to DOD taking action against the contractors, but the Army contracting officers did not report them as TIP violations in a federal database, as required.
• Without complete reporting, DOD leadership lacks full information on TIP investigations.
• Without accurate reporting of actions taken against contractors in this database, contracting officers will lack complete information when making future award decisions involving contractors that engaged in TIP.

Statistics:

• Fiscal years 2015 through 2020: the Army and DODIG had incomplete reporting of closed TIP investigations in their annual reporting.
• 2 investigations led to DOD taking action against the contractors, but the Army contracting officers did not report them as TIP violations in a federal database, as required.

Sources:

• Government Accountability Office report: "Trafficking in Persons: DOD Needs to Improve Oversight of Contractors and Ensure Proper Training".
• Presidential directive: "Establishing Principles Exempting Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery".
• Department of Defense guidance: "Combating Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Guidance, Fiscal Year 2018".
• National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 conference report.