Firm Helping Run Federal Database Refuses Senators' Questions

[Eugene]

Source: New York Times

LIVE UPDATES updated 7 minutes ago

Coronavirus Live Updates: Firm Helping Run Federal Database Refuses Senators’ Questions

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The manager of the Trump administration’s new virus database refuses Senate questioning, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

The private health care technology vendor that is helping to manage the Trump administration’s new coronavirus database has refused to answer questions from top Senate Democrats about its $10.2 million contract, saying it signed a nondisclosure agreement with the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

In a letter obtained by The New York Times, dated Aug. 3, a lawyer for the Pittsburgh-based TeleTracking Technologies cited the nondisclosure agreement in refusing to provide information about its process for collecting and sharing data; its proposal to the government; communications with White House staff or other officials; and any other information related to the award.

A spokeswoman for Department of Health and Human Services said members of Congress should direct their inquiries to the government, not the company. But Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Health Committee, sent a letter to the agency in June seeking similar information and has not received a reply, her office said.

The arrangement was unusual, Jessica Tillipman, an assistant dean at George Washington University Law School who teaches about government contracts and anti-corruption, said in an interview.

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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage#link-538de6a7

[CousinIT]

1. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PAID FOR THAT SYSTEM AND THE DATA. IT'S OURS. n/t

[SheltieLover]

2. This!👆

🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[magicarpet]

3. NDA - Non Disclosure Agreement,.....

Now where did that nefarious plan come from ? It sounds familiar.

Where oh where ????

(DJTSR)

[magicarpet]

9. This is why privatizing government is so encouraged by some.

Open government, checks and balances, fact finding or investigative committees are pretty much shutdown or strictly limited to the information they are permitted to gather.

A private contractor deems their proposals, contracts, and business dealings with government are all proprietary information.

Proprietary information, also known as a trade secret, is information a company wishes to keep confidential. It can also be a nifty way to conceal or cover up wrong doing.

The taxpayer pays for the services of the privatized contractor or vendor but can not review the relationship or results because the info is conveniently deemed top secret by the contractor.

Think DRE electronic voting machines. No one can audit the honesty or accuracy of the voting equipment or whether it was fraudulently programmed to throw an election. Because the voting equipment, tabulators, hardware, software, and operating programs are deemed proprietary information. The voting machine manufacturer's servicing personnel are the only ones authorized to program, calibrate and service that equipment. Because the inside workings are considered top secret.

[Karadeniz]

4. NDA? for a contract with the US government? This cannot possibly be legal. And, don't tell

A congressional committee who they can talk to.

[Laelth]

7. +1 n/t

-Laelth

[RainCaster]

5. Jail those MFs until they answer

Time to stop being nice

[enough]

6. Great way to run a democracy, NDA's forever. NT

[Baked Potato]

8. It seems the Repubes believe they will be in charge forever.

[ancianita]

10. So the Executive Branch cabinet is shaping up as a parallel run corporate system. I see now.

Like Congress, the Pentagon probably has no control or oversight over the thousands of privatized militias that exist, either.

Nice way to make a democratic republic eat that corporate elephant. One bite at a time.

Socialized through our taxes. Advised by oligarchs.

[Cosmo Blues]

11. Non-disclosure agreements

Pretty sure you can't have a non-disclosure agreement in government, at least not for non-classified documents