- DOGE alleges $65B saved through 2,299 terminated contracts
- 34% of axed contracts had already fulfilled obligations
- Federal procurement system delays obscure real-time verification
- $144M lease terminations remain unchanged since last week
The Department of Government Efficiency continues facing scrutiny over its unverified $65 billion savings claim, which combines contract cancellations with disputed fraud detection metrics. While the agency doubled its listed terminated contracts to 2,299 this week, procurement experts note 796 contracts (34%) had completed deliverables before termination - meaning those cuts generated zero actual savings.
Three critical transparency issues emerge from DOGE's latest data dump:
- Ceiling vs Actual Spending: Savings calculations subtract obligated amounts from maximum contract values, despite most projects never reaching ceiling limits
- Duplicate Entries: Previous reports included tripled-counted $655M USAID contracts
- Pre-Award Cancellations: $318M savedon an Office of Personnel Management contract still in proposal phase
A regional case study highlights methodology concerns. The National Institutes of Health reportedly saved $149M by canceling a software contract with Advanced Automation Technologies. Federal records show the agreement capped at $1.4M, while DOGE's link references an unrelated $118,832 refrigeration maintenance deal.
The White House defends DOGE's approach, citing auto-renewing contracts as long-term savings opportunities. However, the removal of error-ridden entries from last week's report and Musk's admission of imperfectdata undermine confidence. Industry analysts suggest implementing third-party audits and separating completed vs projected savings to improve credibility.
As agencies like the Education Department top DOGE's efficiency rankings, the absence of percentage-based metrics raises questions about fair comparisons. With 47 agencies reporting different termination scales, watchdogs demand standardized disclosure of:
- Original contract timelines
- Obligated vs unspent funds
- Post-cancellation penalties
Until DOGE addresses these transparency gaps, its headline-grabbing savings figures risk being dismissed as political theater rather than fiscal reform.