Help with Hurricane Katrina

Relief Efforts

Important Information for Service Contractors

In light of the increased need in communications about contracts, some agencies are now posting more public announcements about Katrina-related contracting opportunities on the Federal government’s website for solicitation announcements, www.FedBizOpps.gov.  In addition, FEMA has indicated that it will re-bid some of the contracts it awarded on a “no bid” basis, though there is no indication as to when that will occur.   FEMA also has stated that it will set aside several hurricane-related construction projects for small, disadvantaged businesses. 

In addition, vendors looking to provide services in Alabama, Louisiana , Mississippi or Florida should contact the resources listed below that are coordinating the disaster relief efforts:

Please note:

In general, proposals must include the following information:

• Company name

• Business address

• Contact information

• Type of service or product offered

• Type of equipment

• Number of workers being provided

• Cost for service

• Whether the company is volunteering services

___________________________________

Contracting Information and Opportunities

• DHS:  Help Needed for Katrina --
  Notice to Businesses, Contractors, Vendors
  If you have resources to donate or sell to the response agencies, please register at the National Emergency Resource Registry, accessible at: www.SWERN.gov.  SWERN is the Central Repository for all Hurricane relief. The response agencies will be checking this directory as the need for materials and services become known.  (Full Story)

• FEMA:  For information concerning disaster contracting, please call FEMA's acquisition voice message system at: 202.646.4006 or visit the FEMA website at: www.fema.gov. 

• FEMA Contracting Info
• Hurricane Contrating Info Center
• Hurricane Contracting Info Center Fact Sheet
• Commerce Katrina Relief Call Center
• Department of Defense Small Business Office

  Army Contracting Opportunity (11-9-05)
• Army Sources Sought (11-9-05)
• Army Sources Sought (9-23-05)
• Army Corps Contracting Opportunity
• Guide to Emergency Contracting Information and Resources - Click HERE

• GSA Emergency Procurements

Misc. Agency Guidance

• Audit Allowability of Administrative Leave for Katrina (10-28-05)
• Audit Allowability of Donated Leave Costs for Katrina (10-18-05)
• Allowability of Paid Leave for Katrina (10-11-05)
• Memo for CAO-CFO RE: Increased Micro-Purchase for Hurricane Katrina Rescue and Relief
• MBDA's Response to Hurricane Katrina
• Doing Busines with Interior
• Class Justification Approval and Waiver (Dept of Interior)
• Chamber of Commerce Information

Small Business Administration Initiatives

• SBA Announces Disaster Loan Partners Initiative, designed to increase the role of private sector financial institutions in the hurricane recovery efforts throughout the Gulf region
• SBA Breaks Disaster Loan Record: $4 Billion in Loans Approved
• Update on SBA's Katrina Relief Efforts
• Letter from the Administrator on the STAR Loan Program
• Federal Regulatory Relief Measures for small businesses can be found at: www.sba.gov/advo/reg_katrina.html
• SBA and Operation Hope Team Together (December 2005)
• FEMA and SBA Partnership (11-3-05)
• SBA and GSA Parternship on Opportunities
• SBA Hurricane Relief Loans in Billions (12-2005)
• SBA Disaster Loan Assistance
• SBA Disaster Loan Assistance - Documentation Requirements Simplified
• SBA Disaster Loan Assistnace-deferement period
• SBA Fraud Hotline
• SBA - Hurricane Rita

General Accounting Office Reports

• A bibliography of GAO products related to disaster preparedness, response, and reconstruction has been posted on GAO's Internet site at: 
  http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/featured/dprr.html.

Congressional Actions

• Chairman Manzullo Supports SBA on Hurricane Relief (December 2005)
• Senator Kerry Press Release on SBA Hurricane Relief (December 2005)
• Rep. Velazquez Denounces SBA Hurricane Relief (December 2005)
• Senate Small Business Committe Hearing (December 2005)
• Hurricane Database bill by Rep. Thompson (H.R. 4427)
• Gulf Coast Recovery Act by Senator Thune S. 1761
• Gulf Coast Recovery Act summary
• Special Procurement Flexibilities by Rep Tom Davis
• Hurricane Katrina - FY 2005 Emergency Supplemental Request (9/7/05)

• Senator Snowe Calls for more SB involvement
• CSA testimony to Senate Small Business Committee on Hurricane Katrina (9/22/05)
• Senator Snowe Calls for Easier Federal Contracting Access to Aid Small Businesses Destroyed by Hurricane Katrina (9/9-05)

News Articles

• February 20, 2006:  Watching Katrina Contracts (Federal Times)
• February 13, 2006:  Investigators Detail Fraud, Waste in FEMA Disaster Assistance (GovExec.com)
• February 13, 2006:  Better Training Needed for Emergency Purchases, Procurement Chief Says (GovExec.com)
• January 13, 2006:  600 People Monitoring Hurricane Contracts (Washington Post)
• November 22, 2005:  Lawmakers Seek More Disaster Relief Contracts for Small Businesses (GovExec.com)
• November 8, 2005:  Oversight of Hurricane Relief Efforts Keep Inspectors General Busy (GovExec.com)

• November 7, 2005:  FEMA to Steer $1.5 billion in Contracts to Small Companies (Federal Times)

• November 4, 2005:  FEMA to Pick Small Firms for 15 Katrina Deals (Washington Post)

• November 3, 2005: Committee members irked by Katrina contracting practices (GoveExec.com)
• October 13, 2005:  Commerce Opens Katrina Contracting Center (GovExec.com)

• October 11, 2005:  FEMA to Reserve Contracts for Disadvantaged Companies (Washington Post)

• October 11, 2005:  Gulf Coast Contracts Still Proving Difficult to Track (GovExec.com)

• October 10, 2005:  Lack of Contracts Hampered FEMA (Washington Post)

• October 7, 2005:  Katrina Contracts Will be Reopened  (Washington Post)

• October 6, 2005:  FEMA to Re-bid Contracts Issued in Aftermath of Hurricanes (GovExec.com)

• October 6, 2005:  CSA SVP Cathy Garman Quoted:  "'Tenuous Time' for New Challenges (Federal Times)

• October 5, 2005 Congress Seeks to Codify Post-Katrina Contracting Restrictions (GovExec.com)

• October 3, 2005 White House returns purchase card limits to pre-Katrina levels

  September 28, 2005 Homeland Security to Request More Funds for Katrina Oversight (GovExec.com)
• September 27, 2005 Officials fear contracting abuses in wake of Hurricane Katrina (GoveExec.com)
• September 27, 2005:  CSA SVP Cathy Garman Commentary:  Relief at the Ready (Federal Times)
• September 26, 2005: Small businesses struggle to win hurricane relief contracts (GovExec.com)
• September 21, 2005 Federal Contractors Seek Liability Shields (Washington Post, registration required)
• September 20, 2005 Homeland Security IG Sets Up Katrina Oversight Office (GovExec.com)
• September 20, 2005 Kelman: Asking the wrong Katrina questions (Federal Computer Week)
• September 19, 2005 FEMA Moves Forward with Simplified Procurements (Washington Technology)

• September 17, 2005 Short-Staffed FEMA Farms Out Procurement (Washington Post, registration required)
• September 16, 2005 Lessons from Katrina begin to emerge (GovExec.com)
• September 16, 2005 Bill Grants Broader Emergency Procurement Authorities (GoveExec.com)

• September 15, 2005 Iraq reconstruction overseer may get Katrina responsibilities
• September 15, 2005 Kelman: The 'blame game" and learning moments (Federal Computer Week)
• September 15, 2005 Government Tries to Balance Scrutiny, Speed (Washington Post, registration required)
• September 9., 2005 Procurement provision in hurricane aid bill raises eyebrows (GovExec.com)

• September 9, 2005 FEMA Hires Builders to Aid Storm Victims (Washington Post, registration required)

• September 8, 2005 Relief Efforts Spawn Quick Contracts (GovExec.com)

• September 8, 2005 Private FEMA (Wall Street Journal, registration required)
• September 6, 2005 Post-Disaster Contracting Rush Leads to Confusion (GovExec.com)