Price fixing and bid rigging occur when competitors agree to set prices for goods or services. An effective agreement among sellers results in prices that are artificially high. Artificially high prices can damage government or business buyers. Buyers lose the ability to get the best price that results when there is competition among sellers.

The District of Columbia has competition laws that, like federal laws, prohibit price fixing and bid rigging, along with other anticompetitive behavior. The DC Office of the Corporation Counsel (OCC) is dedicated to enforcing the laws against anticompetitive behavior. We want District citizens and employees to know what they can do to detect and prevent price fixing and bid rigging.

OCC has an ongoing program to educate District employees about price fixing and bid rigging, carried out in cooperation with the US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division. Our lawyers are available to speak to citizen groups and provide similar education.

For more information on price fixing and bid rigging, and suggestions about what DC employees and citizens can do to detect and help prevent anticompetitive practices, select from the following:

• Why is it important for District employees and residents to be alert for price fixing and bid rigging?
• How can you know if price fixing or bid rigging is occurring?
• What is the role of the District employee or resident?
• Who do I contact to pursue a complaint?