Auditor closely reviews just 11 of 17,000 vendors to justify billions in increased spending

(The Center Square) – Annual vendor spending at Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) jumped $2.9 billion in four years, but a state audit assuring taxpayers that the surge was “valid” relied on a small, hand-selected sample of just 11 vendors. Experts say the sample should not have been used to draw such broad conclusions. kA 5:ClQ=ECQmp44@C5:?8 E@ E96 (2D9:?8E@? $E2E6 pF5:E@C’D ~77:46[ s$w$ A2:5 >@C6 E92? `f[___ G6?5@CD 2AAC@I:>2E6=J Sg]e 3:==:@? :? a_ad[ FA C@F89=J d_T 7C@> Sd]f 3:==:@? :? a_a`] ~7 E9@D6 `f[___ 4@>A2?:6D[ 2F5:E@CD :56?E:7:65 >@C6 E92? `[___ G6?5@CD H9@D6 A2J>6?ED D9@H65 F?FDF2==J 9:89 @C “6IA@?6?E:2=” 8C@HE9]k^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQm“(96? A2J>6?ED E@ 2 8@G6C?>6?E G6?5@C C:D6 F?FDF2==J 72DE[ :E 42? 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