The Department of Energy (DOE) Inspector General (IG) found that employees at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), operated by Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sandia Corporation, impermissibly attempted to influence an extension to Sandia Corporation’s contract with DOE. The IG determined that, beginning in March 2009, SNL developed and executed a plan that involved meeting with and attempting to influence Congressional and executive branch officials to obtain a noncompetitive extension of the contract, in violation of the Byrd Amendment (31 U.S.C. §1352), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 31.205-22), and the terms of Sandia’s contract. According to the IG, “[W]e find that the position and actions taken by SNL to develop and execute the contract extension plan to be highly problematic. Given the specific prohibitions against such activity, we believe that the use of Federal funds for the development of a plan to influence members of Congress and Federal officials to, in essence, prevent competition was inexplicable and unjustified.” Sandia Corporation agreed to pay the federal government $4.8 million to settle the allegations.