Senator Kerry calls for reviews of US disaster recovery contracting practices

Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) has called on major federal agencies awarding contracts after disasters to issue and enforce contracting plans to ensure small firms and disadvantaged businesses receive their fair share of contracts. A Government Accountability Report released on 1 March found that there needs to be better transparency and enforcement at agencies responsible for 94 percent of federal disaster recovery contracts after Hurricane Katrina. Those agencies are the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DOD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps).

Kerry, Chairman of the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, said "This GAO report reveals a severe gap in the information we need to ensure small businesses are afforded every opportunity to win contracts and help recover after a disaster. We need more information and better oversight to ensure the government is following the law."

Kerry sent a letter to the heads of DHS, DOD, GSA and the Corps calling on the agencies to implement the GAO's recommendations to:

1) issue guidance to key personnel reinforcing the importance of subcontracting plan requirements, and

2) consider requesting that the agencies' Inspectors General review compliance with this guidance.

To read the GAO report, visit: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07205.pdf

•Date: 2nd March 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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