They speculate that warm weather and lax enforcement have encouraged homeowners and contractors to take this path, which lets them avoid paying the fees that many dumps charge to accept large items.

To offset the remaining $1.9 billion, the committee cut programs like the cleanup money and $200 million from a Democratic plan to encourage military contractors to develop products with military and commercial uses.

They told Judge Reed that his acceptance of the agreement would encourage other contractors to strengthen compliance programs.

If anything, Davis-Bacon encourages efficient contractors from high-wage areas to bid in low-wage areas, for it puts all bidding contractors on the same footing for building-trades labor costs.

The Crown Representatives team, who coordinate the Government's approach to the management of key suppliers across all departments, will strongly encourage prime contractors to pay more quickly than 30 days.

The case has focused attention on the Pentagon's efforts to encourage military contractors to police themselves more aggressively and bring forward evidence of fraud.

President Clinton will propose spending billions to encourage military contractors to pursue new technologies.

Authority officials say that slow payments discouraged many qualified companies from seeking school work and that the lack of competition encouraged other contractors to inflate bids.

It also encourages contractors to pad their estimates.

The Government has encouraged military contractors to monitor themselves and to disclose any wrongdoing detected internally.