Representative Gerald Connolly Investigates Ramp’s Potential Government Contract
Representative Gerald Connolly, a member of the American Chamber Supervisory Committee, has initiated an investigation into the possibility that Ramp, a financial technology startup, may be receiving preferential treatment as it competes for a substantial $25 million government contract.
Concerns Over Preferential Treatment
In a recent communication, Connolly sent a letter to Stephen Ehikian, the interim administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA), requesting documents and information related to the GSA’s plans for a crawl pilot program.
Political Connections Raise Red Flags
Connolly’s concerns center around Ramp’s connections to influential political figures. The startup reportedly has investors with ties to Trump, including Peter Thiel’s Founders’ Fund and Keith Rabois of Khosla Ventures. Rabois has previously raised substantial funds for Trump’s 2024 campaign, highlighting potential conflicts of interest.
Information Requested from the GSA
Among the details Connolly seeks, he has requested a comprehensive list of meetings held between GSA officials and any Ramp representatives. Connolly is also interested in all communications relating to the startup and GSA officials, including entrepreneurs and subcontractors involved in the bidding process.
Understanding the SmartPay Program
The SmartPay program is a $700 billion initiative managed by the GSA. Presently, Citibank and US Bank serve as the primary providers for this contract. The outcome of this investigation could have significant implications for Ramp’s bid.
Ramp’s Competitive Stance
In April, Ramp’s communications manager, Lindsay McKinley, confirmed that the startup is actively competing for the SmartPay pilot program based on the strength of its solution. Ramp’s technology reportedly sparked interest after a tweet from the Government Efficiency Office, citing the extensive use of government credit cards in transactions.
Addendum on Ramp’s Operations
However, Connolly alleges that before the recent request for information linked to this contract, Ramp was already reaching out to stakeholders in the payment sector about the banking identification numbers necessary for processing federal payments. Furthermore, he claims a GSA employee indicated that Ramp is positioned as the “favorite” for this opportunity.
Final Thoughts
While Ramp has yet to comment on the investigation, it has experienced significant growth, recently doubling its valuation to $13 billion and raising over $1 billion in equity funding since its inception. The unfolding investigation by Connolly could not only impact Ramp’s future in public sector contracts but also raise wider questions about transparency and procurement processes within government contracting.