Frequently Asked Questions

Does Aegis Support Regulation of the Private Security Company (PSC) industry?

Yes. Aegis and its Board, have long been supporters of Regulation of the PSC Sector. Aegis has financially supported and is a founder member of the British Association of Private Security Companies (www.bapsc.org.uk) which lobbies for regulation in the private sector in the UK. The BAPSC has developed together with its members a comprehensive Code of Conduct. Aegis is also involved in efforts by the ICRC, and the International Institute for Law and Justice at New York University to regularise the status of PSCs under International Law. Aegis’s CEO, Tim Spicer regularly speaks publicly in the media and at International Conferences in support of Regulation. Aegis believes that the sector will only benefit from improved regulation and accountability under a proper regulated system. PSCs will be judged on their performance, not on ill informed regulation.

How did Aegis win the 2004 DOD Contract?

Aegis’s prime contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) was awarded through a standard competitive tender. The award was immediately protested by one of the other bidders who lost. The matter was fully examined under the protest rules and the Contracting Officer’s original decision revalidated.

What did the 2004 Special Inspector General for Iraq Audit conclude?

In 2004 the Inspector General for Iraq conducted an audit was was released in 2005. The Inspector General's report concluded that ‘Aegis was generally in compliance with the contract requirement…we found no evidence that Aegis was not meeting its contractual obligations for guarding facilities, providing personal security details, providing security escorts…’. These were the key elements of the contract. This audit was conducted very soon after the contract was awarded.
The audit recommendations covered five points. Two of these were items that were never part of the contract and were removed on the day the audit report was published. The other three points were in the process of being implemented when the report was drawn up, and were in place by the time the report was published. The Administrative issues highlighted were a function of the audit being conducted in the third month of implementation of the largest private security contract ever awarded by the US Government – a contract which had to be launched from a zero base.

This is the reality of Aegis’s performance of the DOD contract:

Aegis’s contract has been re-awarded for each option year
Aegis personnel have received 41 awards from the US Government and numerous commendations
Aegis has travelled over 2 ½ million miles without loss of injury to a single client
In defence of its client, Aegis has lost seven expatriate staff and five Iraqis to enemy action; seventeen expatriate staff have been seriously injured. Another expatriate was lost in a road traffic accident.
Aegis has saved the US Government over $30million from its original estimates on contract award by negotiating with key suppliers.

Some claim that Aegis ‘command’ all other security contractors in Iraq. Is this true?

No. The DOD contract requires Aegis to coordinate the reconstruction effort. Security contractors involved in protecting elements of the reconstruction effort are encouraged to use the services Aegis provides, free of charge. Aegis does not ‘command’ them. Aegis commands only its own staff.

Some also claim that Aegis is the ‘second largest foreign force’ in Iraq. Is this true?

No. Aegis has approximately 1,100 contractors in Iraq. Some PSCs have more than this. The US, UK and South Korea all have more troops in Iraq than Aegis has staff in the country.

What are the backgrounds of Aegis staff in Iraq?

Aegis expatriate staff members are mostly drawn from military backgrounds, and from the UK, US and British Commonwealth countries. Most have substantial operational experience. They are vetted by government vetting bodies in the UK and US.

Are the rules of engagement for Aegis staff in Iraq more relaxed than those for Coalition military personnel?

No. They are tighter. In fact, not only do security contractors have tighter Rules for the Use of Force (RUF) than the military; Aegis staff have tighter rules for the use of force than other security contractors. This is not a requirement of the contract; Aegis believes that tighter RUF make for a better operating environment.

What is the ‘Trophy Video’?

It was a homemade video posted on the internet by a former contractor in a malicious attempt to discredit Aegis. The incidents displayed had been taken entirely out of context. The matter, including all the different incidents, was fully investigated by the US Army and by Aegis. Aegis’s independent investigation included a UK judge, a former senior British police office, an independent security consultant and a senior Aegis Executive with extensive operational experience in Iraq.
Both investigations confirmed that all the circumstances, when seen in context, were within the approved and accepted Rules for the Use of Force, that no crime had been committed, and that there was no case to answer.

Are there any links between Aegis and Sandline International?

No. The CEO of Aegis, Tim Spicer, was once the CEO of Sandline International. He was never part of its ownership structure, nor a shareholder. He left Sandline in 1999, and set up and ran other companies before founding Aegis in 2002. Aegis is in no way related to, or associated with Sandline.

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AEGIS Specialist Risk Management

Frequently Asked Questions