Query Concerning Legality of Use of Appropriated Funds To Pay for Consultant Services
Highlights
An opinion was requested concerning the legality of the Department of Education's expenditure of funds, appropriated to carry out programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, to pay for field readers who evaluate and rate proposals submitted to Education for funding and other consultant services. The agency utilizes two methods to obtain the subject consultant services. One is to hire individual consultants through the personnel process. The other is to contract with the individuals, groups, or organizations to obtain consulting services. Education determined that the choice of hiring method will determine to some extent which funds will be utilized. GAO reviewed Education's rationale, along with relevant statutes, and found no basis to object to its practices.