Blackwater a small business?

[flashl]

Audit questions $100 million in company, affiliate contracts

By MIKE BAKER | Associated Press Writer
July 28, 2008

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) _ Private security contractor Blackwater Worldwide and its affiliates may have misrepresented their size to win more than $100 million in government contracts set aside for small businesses, federal auditors said Monday.

A report by the Small Business Administration's Office of Inspector General questioned the agency's decision to approve Blackwater as a small business even though there were signs the company could be much larger than executives claimed.

In fiscal 2005 through 2007, Blackwater and affiliates won 32 small business contracts worth more than $2.1 million even though the work was restricted to companies with revenue of $6.5 million or less, according to the audit. One contract had a revenue ceiling of $750,000. Meanwhile, Blackwater's airline affiliate Presidential Airways won more than $107 million in contracts set aside for companies with revenues of less than $25.5 million or fewer than 1,500 employees.

The audit questioned whether the Moyock-based company, which built its name protecting U.S. diplomats on the volatile streets of Baghdad, could meet either of those limits. The company said last week that it's on track to reach annual revenues of $1 billion per year by 2010.

[Lint Head]

1. It's not small enough!

:dem:

[ChazII]

2. Off topic

but I did a search and can't find anything on DU. Is it true that Blackwater provided Obama's security on his recent trip?

[flashl]

3. Blackwater provides security service for U.S. State Dept, U.S. Military's General Officers, VIPs

why would it be any different for Obama?

[ChazII]

4. Late last night

I received an email bad mouthing Obama for criticizing Blackwater earlier in this year yet now accepting their protection. The gist was that Obama did not give them credit for doing their job. Since it came from a rethug relative I did not give it much weight.

However, my dad just had heart surgery and my brain is muddled from too many facts regarding heart/diabetes info. That is no excuse, however. The Blackwater info that you gave must have escaped both long and short term memory. Thanks for the info.