The inaugural day of the US Study Tour on Antitrust Enforcement, jointly organised by the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), commenced with the CARICOM delegation convening at the Liberty Square Building. There, senior staff of the criminal enforcement team of the Antitrust Division elucidated the delegation on the shared responsibilities of the FTC and DoJ in antitrust enforcement. Comprehensive overviews of the organisational structure of the DoJ, its primary antitrust concerns and the case selection process ensued.

Afterwards, the CARICOM delegation visited the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) building, where they were briefed on the institutional framework of the FBI and the collaborative endeavours between the DoJ and the FBI in addressing antitrust violations. This session provided firsthand insight into the synergistic partnership between law enforcement agencies in upholding the integrity of competitive markets.

The day culminated in a substantive discourse with key members of the Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), which was established in 2019 with the mandate to combat bid-rigging in government public procurement. The delegation gained a comprehensive understanding of the PCSF’s efforts to eliminate bid-rigging, a practice that undermines the competitive process and diverts resources away from their intended societal benefit. Discussed were the training provided by PCSF to other law enforcement agencies and government procurement officers in competition law and policy, and the establishment of the data analytics working group, which focuses on using data to detect bid-rigging.

The significance of the day’s engagements lies in their contribution to fostering transparency, integrity, and equitable competition in the marketplace. As the US Study Tour progresses, it is poised to offer further insights into the multifaceted landscape of antitrust enforcement, thereby inspiring collaborative efforts among nations to combat anticompetitive practices.

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