Management and Care of seized horses in the Northern District of Illinois and Western District of Wisconsin

Contract was awarded under FAR 6.302-2, Unusual and Compelling Urgency.

On April 17, 2012, Rita Crundwell, comptroller for the City of Dixon, Illinois, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for wire fraud. Ms. Crundwell was accused of embezzling $53 Million from the City of Dixon. On April 18, 2012, the U.S. Marshals Service was notified by the FBI that Ms. Crundwell's bank accounts had been frozen. The defendant was using embezzled money for the care and maintenance of over 200 horses located in Dixon, Illinois and Beliot, Wisconsin and several additional locations. Since her accounts were frozen, the farm/ranch did not have the means to care for the horses. Farm hands continued to work after this date even though they were unsure if they would receive payment. If the farm hands were to walk off the job, there would be no means to care for the horses. In addition, weekly deliveries of hay and grain would cease. The USMS issued purchase orders for hay and grain deliveries to continue until a contract award could be made for the management and care of the horses. The government recognized that there was an immediate need to care for the animals. If a contract was not awarded immediately, the lives of the horses would be at risk.