Published: July 30, 2010

Despite the latest in yet another contracting scandal, Washington refuses to take steps to prevent these irresponsible companies from running off with multimillion dollar contracts ("D.C. official calls for probe of lottery pact," Page 1, July 21).

Washington taxpayers and workers could be protected from contractor abuses if the D.C. City Council adopted some simple reforms. For one thing, because Washington does not require service contractors to be bonded, taxpayers footed the bill for National Guard and Metro Police Department protection at public schools when Hawk One, the city's former security company, collapsed last October. This lack of bonding also prevented more than 750 officers from recovering, for months, wages and benefits they were owed.

A lack of strong, responsible contracting criteria enabled the city to award multimillion dollar contracts to Hawk One's replacement, U.S. Security Associates, even though the company was being sued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other entities for employment discrimination. In one of these lawsuits, a jury has now found the company liable for $2.5 million for sexual harassment and retaliation.

Washington officials should do the right thing by not renewing U.S. Security Associates' contract and the city council should enact strong legislation to prevent irresponsible companies from winning contracts in the first place.