Press Release  IG Shapiro Announces Agreement with W.B. Mason to Refund Overage in State Contract

Boston, MA — Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro today announced that the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has reached an agreement with office supply retailer W.B. Mason to refund nearly $300,000 to state and local agencies that purchased office supplies through a state contract at incorrect prices.

The OIG initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint that W.B. Mason customers using a pre-negotiated state contract were charged more than the agreed-upon prices and/or discounts. The OIG investigation found that customers were inadvertently overcharged a total of $284,157.29 over a five-year period.

“It is important to note that this agreement was reached voluntarily and represents less than one percent of the total sales for the duration of the contract,” IG Shapiro said. “That said, public dollars are precious, and it is critical that companies who do business with the state comply with contractual terms and conditions.”

Per the agreement, W.B. Mason has refunded a portion of the total directly to the Commonwealth’s General Fund to cover the overages paid by state agencies and a portion to the OIG to offset its investigative costs. Municipalities and other entities that were overcharged by $50 or more have or will receive credits toward future purchases, and unused credits may revert to cash refunds. 

“I commend the OIG investigative team and W.B. Mason for their diligence in resolving the billing discrepancies and refunding those who were overcharged.”

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