FEMA Maintains Limited-Competition Deals (AP)

[struggle4progress]

Friday October 14, 2005 11:16 PM


Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government is spending $347 million on Hurricane Katrina-related contracts that were awarded with little or no competition, despite a public pledge by FEMA's chief to reopen no-bid agreements.

In its most recent weekly spending report to Congress, the Homeland Security Department detailed 73 contracts awarded on a basis of ``other than full and open competition.'' Most of the contracts on the Oct. 13 list provided travel trailers, communications systems and food from the disaster relief fund run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Last week, FEMA acting director R. David Paulison told senators, ``All of those no-bid contracts, we are going to go back and rebid.'' Later that day, FEMA officials said they would rebid only four contracts of up to $100 million each - a point spokesman Larry Orluskie repeated Friday.

``A lot of the contracts that were previously awarded without competition are completed or are beyond the point where it would be economically feasible to re-compete,'' Orluskie said. He did not know how many of the contracts were completed. <snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-5344911,00.html

[maddezmom]

1. FEMA Maintains Limited-Competition Deals

WASHINGTON - The government is spending $347 million on Hurricane Katrina-related contracts that were awarded with little or no competition, despite a public pledge by FEMA's chief to reopen no-bid agreements.

In its most recent weekly spending report to Congress, the Homeland Security Department detailed 73 contracts awarded on a basis of "other than full and open competition." Most of the contracts on the Oct. 13 list provided travel trailers, communications systems and food from the disaster relief fund run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Last week, FEMA acting director R. David Paulison told senators, "All of those no-bid contracts, we are going to go back and rebid." Later that day, FEMA officials said they would rebid only four contracts of up to $100 million each — a point spokesman Larry Orluskie repeated Friday.

"A lot of the contracts that were previously awarded without competition are completed or are beyond the point where it would be economically feasible to re-compete," Orluskie said. He did not know how many of the contracts were completed.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051015/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/katrina_contracts;_

[ixion]

2. oh yeah, tell us about that 'competition process'

:eyes:


And note what they bought from the FOOD fund: communications systems.

[slay]

3. Sounds just like Iraq - Do something wrong and illegal, but is too late to

fix it. First this BushCo government didn't help at all, and then when they do, it's all about the no-bid contracts for their pals! As long as we keep letting them do this - screw up and get away with it - they will continue to do so. :mad:

[mom cat]

5. These people do not mind ignoring the law....They think that the laws do

not apply to them.

[Why Syzygy]

4. How is this legal?

I'm not a law student, but I THOUGHT my government had laws governing how to spend MY MONEY? NO BIDS? EVER? Gee what a way to make a living.

[William Bloode]

6. What gets me is .......

How this administration is soooooooo big on open capitalism. I guess it's really crony capitalism that they really approve of.

[rodeodance]

7. so it is business as usual.