Marc's Voice

Why BBM & MRM got the ROTC social networking contract

In case you’re wondering - my company (Broadband Mechanics) is partially being kept alive with a contract with MRM Worldwide to provide a social network to the ROTC program.  It’s called ROTCLink.com.

It matches cadets to alumni, to help them in career guidance, etc.

I’ve often wondered the background on all this, as we were first brought into the picture in the spring of ‘07 - waited a year (while the Army tried to build their own social network) and finally got the gig in the summer of ‘08.

The overall ‘Go Army‘ account if worth about $1.3B to MRM Worldwide - which is a part of McCann Worldgroup, a division of Interpublic.

So imagine my delight and surprise when I read this article:

Leo Burnett Settles ‘Army of One’ Suit for $15.5MAgency Continues to Deny Army’s Claims of Overbilling for Campaign

By Jeremy Mullman

Published: January 06, 2009

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — Leo Burnett will pay $15.5 million to settle allegations that it overbilled the U.S. Army for work on its “Army of One” campaign, the Justice Department announced today.

The suit was a result of whistle-blowing by two former Burnett employees. Among the allegations in the lawsuit, filed in 2004: Burnett was treating the work of its own internet unit as if it was performed by a third-party contractor, as well as inflating the costs of subcontractors it worked with, in order to increase its profits.

This whistle blower scenario lost Leo Burnett the Army account and has caused us (MRM/BBM) untold hours of hoop jumping, second guessing, bureaucracy, cover-your-ass-ism - all because of Leo Burnett ripped off - ooooops - sorry - they never admitted to any wrong doing, so who I to accuse such a fine up standing ad agency of ripping off our government?

Specifically Leo Burnett apparently was double dipping, claiming that their own in-house people were ALSO sub-contractors - working on guess what?  the U.S. Army web site!

This is what goes on - all the time - and what makes our country (and really the entire world of capitalism) what it is today.

BTW - the whistle blowers got $2.7M for their honesty and efforts.

And we (BBM) get to stay alive - to help open up the web and build the open mesh - for all of you.  With U.S. taxpayers hard earned cash.  Or shall I Chinese debt?