The best part is the money didn't even go to a vetting company, they paid for a licence for a vetting platform that let's you carry out your own checks:
Are you an outsourced background screening company?
No, we provide you with the ability to complete your own background screening in house
Tice has said on multiple occasions that Reform do not vet their own candidates (that's the media's job apparently). He seemed to think this was some sort of positive to brag about.