Report: 70 percent of Katrina pacts awarded without full bidding

[sabra]

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5322362

Report: 70 percent of Katrina pacts awarded without full bidding

WASHINGTON -- The government awarded 70 percent of its contracts for Hurricane Katrina work without full competition, wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process, says a House study released Thursday by Democrats.

The report, a comprehensive overview of government audits on Katrina contracting, found that out of $10.6 billion in contracts awarded after the storm last year, more than $7.4 billion were handed out with limited or no competitive bidding.

In addition, 19 contracts worth $8.75 billion were found to have wasted taxpayer money at least in part, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the report. It cited numerous instances of double-billing by contractors and cases of trailers meant as emergency housing sitting empty in Arkansas.

A spokesman for the Homeland Security Department's Federal Emergency Management Agency, the primary agency for awarding hurricane contracts, did not have an immediate comment.

[Seedersandleechers]

1. The Bush administration has been doing this since day one.

It's part of the looting that our children will pay for in years to come.

[rodeodance]

2. they have to think how to spin this.

A spokesman for the Homeland Security Department's Federal Emergency Management Agency, the primary agency for awarding hurricane contracts, did not have an immediate comment.

[SpiralHawk]

3. Sleazy republicon crony deals

what a bunch of crooks the republicons are.

[Anita Garcia]

4. And it's not a big deal to Corporate media hmmmm

Wonder why? k and r for Katrina and Rita survivors

[cosmicdot]

5. love to read some of the sole source justifications

and proof that that they were the only source

they still require such things, don't they?


or have the Federal Acquisition Regulations been down-Cheneyed and/or Cheneyed-up to reduce paperwork?

maybe they were off-the-shelf items, too, negating need for proper cost-price analyses of proposals submitted

No Statement of Work required.

[deadparrot]

6. Democrats focus on GOP Katrina blunders

WASHINGTON - Hurricane Katrina convulsed the nation with its massive destruction. Now Democrats believe it could wreak havoc again in a tide of voter resentment that could sweep Republicans from power.

On the verge of Katrina's one-year anniversary, Democrats from New Orleans to New Haven, Conn., to New York are launching a coordinated political assault on the Bush administration's response to the devastation that struck the Gulf Coast.

Democratic lawmakers began arriving in the stricken region Thursday, making a stand that will culminate Monday when about 20 House Democrats convene in Bay St. Louis, Miss., for a town hall meeting. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu (news, bio, voting record) of Louisiana plans to deliver the Democratic response to President Bush's Saturday radio address.

Party leaders sense that the Bush administration's performance in the aftermath of last year's hurricanes and lingering problems rebuilding the region are as politically damaging to the president — and by extension, other Republicans — as the war in Iraq.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060825/ap_on_el_ge/katrina_politics

[gully]

7. We should tie this into a "we are not safer" statement also.

eom

[Beetwasher]

9. Yup!

:thumbsup:

This is a national security issue.

[gratuitous]

8. You think Rockey Vaccarella was a stunt designed to blunt?

Democrats: Hit the Republicans hard, hit them on multiple fronts, and hit them repeatedly. Their dismal record of failures and mistakes can be exposed in great detail over the next 2½ months.

[tridim]

10. It was a failed stunt designed to blunt

If there are still people out there who believe the Rockey stunt was genuine they are beyond help and not worth the effort IMO.

[MikeyJones]

11. It's a simple formula really: pay asshole in congress, wait till......

terrorist attack, war, or natural disaster, and then said asshole in congress gives you a nice contract that you payed for. It's a very lucrative business.