The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the General Services Administration (GSA) play important roles in ensuring the integrity and compliance of various programs and initiatives within the United States government. While they primarily focus on healthcare providers and programs like Medicare and Medicaid, their scrutiny can extend to non-medical employees and vendors who participate in government contracts or programs that fall under their jurisdiction.

Here are some key points to consider regarding OIG/GSA screening for non-medical employees and vendors:

The OIG maintains a List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE), which includes individuals and entities that are excluded from participating in federal healthcare programs. This exclusion list primarily applies to healthcare-related activities, such as Medicare and Medicaid providers, but it may also affect vendors providing non-medical services if their exclusion is related to fraud or misconduct in other government programs.

The GSA manages the System for Award Management (SAM), which is a database of entities that are eligible to do business with the federal government. While SAM primarily focuses on federal contracts and grants, it includes various compliance checks to ensure that vendors meet certain legal and financial requirements.

It’s important to include non-medical employees and vendors that do business with the federal government in cross-checks against the OIG Exclusion List and SAM to ensure they are not excluded or debarred. This may involve regular checks, as often as each month, to help ensure the integrity of government contracts and programs. Being listed on the OIG Exclusion List or facing debarment through SAM can have serious consequences for non-medical employees, vendors, and those who employ them. It may lead to the suspension or termination of government contracts, fines, legal action, and reputational damage.

It’s important to note that the specific screening and compliance requirements may vary depending on the nature of the government contracts or programs involved. To navigate the complex regulations surrounding OIG and GSA screening, seek legal counsel and establish compliance programs to ensure all necessary requirements are met.