Standing Guard: How Unaccountable Contracting Fails Governments and Taxpayers

As local and state governments increasingly contract out public services that impact the well-being of their community, the need for robust contract oversight is increasing. A lack of oversight has detrimental impacts on the people served by a program or service, and for the public at large. With increased oversight, the government will be more capable of catching waste, fraud, and abuse in real-time, allowing for better outcomes. This report outlines the common problems and real-world consequences of lax oversight and provides policy recommendations to help cities and states improve their oversight of government contracts. These recommendations include incorporating oversight costs into the decision-making process and establish formal contract monitoring.