The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released today the report, “Audit of the DoD’s Policies and Procedures to Prevent the Procurement of Prohibited Seafood Products.” The ‘Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 required the DoD OIG to assess the DoD’s policies and procedures to procure seafood in accordance with the Tariff Act of 1930. The Tariff Act bans the importation of seafood and other goods originating in foreign countries, such as the People’s Republic of China, by forced labor.
The DoD OIG determined that Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support personnel
effectively implemented federal laws prohibiting the procurement of seafood from foreign
sources. Most seafood was largely purchased from U.S. suppliers through compliance with
the Berry Amendment, which requires the DoD to prioritize domestic products valued over
$150,000. However, the DoD OIG also found that contracting personnel for the U.S. Marine
Corps and U.S. Navy Force failed to include the required clauses in 3 of eight contracts to
restrict purchases from foreign sources and those involving forced or child labor. This lack
of oversight means the Marine Corps and Navy cannot ensure full compliance with federal
guidelines in seafood procurements.
The DoD OIG made several recommendations to the Principal Director of Defense Pricing,
Contracting, and Acquisition Policy and Marine Corps and Navy Service contracting
command personnel to develop to implement policy for the DoD acquisition community
directing contracting officers to check existing contract vehicles and document exceptions
to satisfying requirements through the DLA Prime Vendor Program and update post
awareness review checklists to include clauses that prevent the procurement of seafood
from foreign sources and forced or child labor.
The DoD OIG will continue monitoring the implementation of the recommendations.