FEMA Vows to Re-Bid Parts of Katrina Jobs (however...)

[Eugene]

March 30, 2006, 8:11PM

FEMA Vows to Re-Bid Parts of Katrina Jobs

© 2006 The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Portions of four major emergency housing contracts awarded after Hurricane Katrina
are being re-bid to smaller, local companies in the Gulf Coast, the chief of the nation's disaster
agency says.

That will ensure that at least $1.5 billion in federal contracts are awarded competitively,
said R. David Paulison, acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

<snip>

Paulison's comments seemed to differ from remarks made days ago by Michael Widomski,
a FEMA spokesman. He said the contracts wouldn't be re-bid for Katrina work and in fact
have been extended, in part because of good performance.

<snip>

Widomski said FEMA now will allow the four major firms to complete their Katrina work. FEMA,
meanwhile, has posted advertisements for multiyear contracts for relief work in coming hurricane
seasons, with awards expected by June.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/3760672.html

The no-bid contracts already in progress will stand despite promises to re-bid them.
FEMA will re-bid $1.5 billion in contracts for work in future years.

[OneBlueSky]

1. same old same old . . . they did the same thing in Iraq . . .

instead of supporting recovery of the local economy by contracting with Iraqi firms for reconstruction projects, they gave the money to Halliburton, Bechtel, and other favored multi-nationals through no-bid contracts . . . and then paid through the nose (with our tax dollars) and as these companies charged outrageous prices for everything from truck mileage to water . . .

disgraceful in Iraq, and disgraceful in New Orleans and on the Gulf Coast . . . and Congress, in their infinite wisdom, just sits back and lets them get away with it . . . disgraceful in Washington DC, too . . .