"in his role as a contracting officer."   In other press accounts "contracting officer representative" is used.   Makes me wonder if DOJ applied the definition of "contracting officer" as found at FAR 2.101 - "The term includes certain authorized representatives of the contracting officer acting within the limits of their authority as delegated by the contracting officer."

Reading the press release makes me think he was bought cheap.

Yeah, he’s likely a COR.  I saw this in a reticle:

Quote

According to the indictment, Soriano worked for the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC), which provides contract administration services for the Navy, throughout the scheme. From 2006 to 2019, Soriano was an engineer, project leader and certified “Contracting Officer Representative” with technological expertise to help manage Department of Defense contracts.

He’s an engineer and  project leader.

On 6/12/2024 at 9:03 AM, Vern Edwards said:

Former Navy Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Bribery Involving Government Contracts Worth Hundreds of Millions

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/former-navy-civilian-employee-pleads-guilty-bribery-involving-government-contracts

Have any of you had a chance to read this book? 

In her book, the former CIO of HUD and ED says to do exactly these things: take the COs out to sporting events, provide gifts, go to family events, children's birthday parties, etc. At no time in the book does she spend any time on the actual technical response portions or anything else aside from pure social dynamics and getting as close to the CO's life as possible.  

It's pretty clear that this will only continue when people in power outright say that's what you have to do to win work with them. 

The Billion Dollar Secret: Secrets to Winning Business from a Former Government Executive (ParkerGroup) Paperback – July 23, 2020
by Gloria Parker (Author), Mike Rice (Author)