It has come to our attention that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) has an ongoing active investigation involving SPiT-FA Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn's, wife Mabel O'Quinn who is the President of Patronus Systems, Inc a security company located at 3000 N Wickham Rd STE 8, Melbourne, FL 32935.
Based on our sources the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) is now investigating Patronus Systems, Inc and SPiT-FA Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn's (r) wife Mabel O'Quinn (l) being awarded government federal contracts to supply security services and receiving millions of dollars from the federal government as a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Woman-Owned Small Business while possibly being a front organization for a much larger security company who was ineligible to bid on these federal government contracts under the Small Business Administration (SBA) guidelines.
According to its website Patronus Systems Inc. is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Woman-Owned Small Business. Rick O'Quinn, Mabel O'Quinn's husband is presently Vice President @ Large at SPiT-FA, a International Trustee on SPiT-FA's health and welfare / 401k benefit programs and is the number two (2) man and heir apparent to SPIT-FA International President David L. Hickey.
"If in fact Patronus Systems Inc and SPiT-FA Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn's wife Mabel O'Quinn President of Patronus Systems, Inc was acting as a front company for a larger security company in an effort to be awarded federal contracts then Patronus Systems, Inc could in fact be ineligible to receive millions of dollars in federal government contracts as a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and/or a Woman-Owned Small Business" based on SBA guidelines. That is for the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (OIG) to decide as it continues its active investigation of Patronus Systems, Inc and SPiT-FA Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn's wife Mabel O'Quinn" noted our anonymous source.
There are multiple sections of 13 CFR 121.103 How SBA Determines Affiliation that may apply to all of these organizations. In determining whether affiliation exists, SBA will consider the totality of the circumstances, and may find affiliation even though no single factor is sufficient to constitute affiliation.
13 CFER 121.103 (e) Affiliation based on common management. Affiliation arises where one or more officers, directors, managing members, or partners who control the board of directors and/or management of one concern also control the board of directors or management of one or more other concerns.
13 CFR 121.103 (f) Affiliation based on identity of interest. Affiliation may arise among two or
more persons with an identity of interest. Individuals or firms that have identical or substantially identical business or economic interests (such as family members, individuals or firms with common investments, or firms that are economically dependent through contractual or other relationships) may be treated as one party with such interests aggregated.
(1) Firms owned or controlled by married couples, parties to a civil union, parents, children, and siblings are presumed to be affiliated with each other if they conduct business with each other, such as subcontracts or joint ventures or share or provide loans, resources, equipment, locations or employees with one another. This presumption may be overcome by showing a clear line of fracture between the concerns. Other types of familial relationships are not grounds for affiliation on family relationships.
13 CFR 121.103(g) Affiliation based on the newly organized concern rule. Affiliation may arise where former officers, directors, principal stockholders, managing members, or key employees of one concern organize a new concern in the same or related industry or field of operation, and serve as the new concern's officers, directors, principal stockholders, managing members, or key employees, and the one concern is furnishing or will furnish the new concern with contracts, financial or technical assistance, indemnification on bid or performance bonds, and/or other facilities, whether for a fee or otherwise. A concern may rebut such an affiliation determination by demonstrating a clear line of fracture between the two concerns. A “key employee” is an employee who, because of his/her position in the concern, has a critical influence in or substantive control over the operations or management of the concern.
SBA’s general information of determination states the following:
13 CFR 121.103 How SBA Determines Affiliation, section (a)(3) (4) and (5);
Control may be affirmative or negative. Negative control includes, but is not limited to, instances where a minority shareholder has the ability, under the concern's charter, by-laws, or
shareholder's agreement, to prevent a quorum or otherwise block action by the board of directors or shareholders.
Affiliation may be found where an individual, concern, or entity exercises control indirectly
through a third party.
It is our understanding that both SPiT-FA President David L. Hickey (above) and the SPiT-FA International Executive Board members Don Eagle Secretary/Treasure, SPiT-FA Vice President Ryan Kelly, SPiT-FA Vice President Jerry Heyman, SPiT-FA Vice President Joseph McCray and SPiT-FA National Organizing Director Dwayne Phillips are all very well aware of Rick O'Quinn's wife ownership of Patronus Systems, Inc. based on Rick O'Quinn's deposition testimony noted below.
"Whether or not SPiT-FA Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn had any involvement in running and/or any dealings with Patronus Systems, Inc is still unknown at this time. If he did in fact have any involvement in his wife's company Patronus Systems, Inc, this will certainly come out in this Department of Homeland Security (OIG) investigation. One would have to assume that SPiT-FA VP @ Large Rick O'Quinn was fully aware of his wife's businesses dealings since they have been married for some time now and he benefited from millions of dollars Patronus System, Inc & his wife received over the last several years off these federal contracts", noted our source.
As a matter of fact the SPiT-FA International Union has organized and has collective bargaining agreements in several Patronus Systems, Inc locations around the country. SPiT-FA is also attempting to organize the Patronus protective service officers (PSO's) in Kentucky NLRB Case 09-RC-312087 which is now subject to a federal investigation by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over a conflict of interest issue on whether or not SPiT-FA can actually be certified by the NLRB to represent these Patronus Systems, Inc in Kentucky since clearly there is a conflict of interest situation between Vice President @ Large Rick O'Quinn, the # 2 man in the SPiT-FA organization and his wife Mabel O'Quinn owner and President of Patronus Systems, Inc.
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