Interview Questions: Rigged Specifications

Questions that might reveal rigged specifications include:

  • Do you know or suspect, or have you heard, that contract specifications are drafted to favor certain bidder?
  • Have any competitors complained that the bidding specifications are too narrow or rigged to favor a certain bidder?
  • Are any contract specifications drafted, in whole or part, by a contractor?
  • Are contract specifications very similar to the product or services provided by a particular contractor?
  • Does a particular contractor receive an unusually high percentage of the contracts awarded?
  • Are specifications in certain requests for bids significantly narrower than other requests for similar products or services?
  • Are a reasonable number of bids received in response to requests for bids, or only one or two?
  • Did qualified contractors fail to bid?
  • Do any bidders socialize or have personal contact with contracting personnel before or during the bidding process?
  • Are controls and procedures to prevent rigged specifications in place and enforced?