[Decision Concerning EPA Payment of Recruitment Advertisement]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested a decision concerning whether it could ratify an improperly authorized contractual commitment to publish a recruitment advertisement in a newspaper. GAO noted that EPA delegated authority to approve publication of such advertisements to regional contracting officers. GAO held that: (1) the delegation of authority was legally permissible; and (2) there was prior written authorization for the advertisement, although by the wrong official. Accordingly, EPA may honor the contractual agreement.