Investigations

On August 31, 2017, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) suspended and proposed to debar National Structural Bearings Corporation (NSBC), and its owner, Raymond Dandan for a period of 36 months. On June 27, 2017, NSBC and Dandan, agreed to a $196,991 civil settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Raleigh, North Carolina. The agreement settled allegations that NSBC made false claims to the United States.

 

Since April 2009, NSBC had manufactured elastomeric bearing pads, which are shock absorbers for bridges. It subsequently sold them to contractors performing work on North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) construction projects. After the elastomeric bearing pads were installed, NCDOT officials discovered that the pads had not been manufactured to specification.

 

The United States alleged that the lab results from NSBC and the certificates of conformance signed by Dandan were false; therefore, NSBC and Dandan received funds to which they were not entitled. Those funds were derived in substantial part from a grant awarded by FHWA.