$8 water filter costing the U.S. government $156

Topline: The purchasing platform offered by the General Services Administration is putting government agencies at a disadvantage, according to a new audit from the GSA inspector general. Government agencies across the U.S. use it to buy goods and services, but the website is littered with markups and rip-offs.

Key facts: Created in 1995, GSA Advantage is essentially Amazon for the government.

Contractors negotiate prices with the General Services Administration and list their products on the website.