TRW <TRW> PROMISES TO CORRECT CONTRACT PRACTICES
The chairman of TRW, inc said his
company had overcharged the government on defense contracts but
promised to prevent the improper conduct from recurring.
    "There were a number of instances of mischarging and other
irregularities in TRW's defense contracting business," TRW
chairman Ruben Mettler said in testimony to the House Oversight
subcommittee.
    "As the person ultimately responsible for the management of
TRW, I am determined to do everything in my power to prevent
any recurrence," Mettler said.
    TRW holds over 3 billion dlrs in defense contracts.
    Subcommittee chairman John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat,
said TRW was being sued by the Justice Department and was being
investigated by federal grand juries in Colorado and Cleveland.
    Mettler said the overcharges had been uncovered by TRW's
internal procedures and all were reported to the government.
    "In every case we advised the government of our findings and
committed to make restitution. We immediately put a stop to the
practices in question and disciplined those who were culpable,"
he said.
    Mettler said TRW had hired a new chief financial officer, a
vice president of internal audit and a corporate controller. He
said the internal audit department was being strengthened and a
corporate review board had been established to monitor
compliance activities.
    He said a business ethics and conduct council had also been
created and over 15,000 managers and employees would be given
training programs on contract compliance.
 Reuter
