Procurement Watchdog Eyeing Probe of ‘Bait and Switch’ Scheme Used in ArriveCan Contracts

Canada’s federal procurement watchdog is considering a wider probe into a contracting practice called “bait and switch,” following its review of the ArriveCan contracts. The scheme sees a currently unknown number of companies obtaining contracts based on proposed work from professionals who ultimately don’t work on the projects. The Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) conducted a review of the ArriveCan contracts and found that, for 76 percent of them, the professionals proposed by the successful supplier didn’t perform any related work. OPO director of communications Wafa Ibrahim told The Epoch Times the bait and switch practice is “very concerning.”...