How the Justice Dept. Looks for Market Cheaters

By Liz Crampton, Bloomberg BNA

Repeat contract winners and higher-than-expected bids are among the red flags that prompt antitrust enforcers to investigate for illegal anticompetitive conduct, a Justice Department official said.

Roger Alford, a deputy assistant attorney general in the antitrust division, offered a rare glimpse into the specifics of what investigators look for when cracking down on corrupt or anticompetitive behavior. His Oct. 3 comments in Brazil also show the government’s effort to ramp up coordination with foreign antitrust authorities, a stated priority for the new administration. Part of that cooperation comes through “transparency,” he said, so that other ...