A month later, no change on Katrina contracts

Paperwork cited
Larry Orluskie, a Homeland Security spokesman, said FEMA had not reopened the contracts yet because it had to process paperwork. Meanwhile, officials are actively seeking to recruit smaller companies by holding workshops and through its Web site at www.dhs.gov/openforbusiness.

“It’s a process,” Orluskie said. “We can’t have a change with the push of a button. Statements of work have to be cleared.”

But the four major firms said this week they had not been notified of the rebidding other than from news reports following Paulison’s announcement. Two of them — CH2M Hill and Fluor — said their contract terms already had established that FEMA had an option to end the work in January.

“The February timeframe is news to me,” said John Corsi, spokesman for CH2M Hill, based in Englewood, Colo. He said the company had not decided whether it would submit a new bid if FEMA does not extend its contract. “We’ve been performing the work well, and we stand behind the job.”

Brenda Thompson, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Bechtel Group Inc., said by February “we expect to have hauled and installed all temporary housing units in our scope of work for FEMA.”

Shaw officials have said they intend to compete for the Katrina work once FEMA solicits new bids, saying they are confident they will win based on a strong track record in disaster relief.

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