- FEMA contracts awarded for Hurricane Katrina recovery (XLS, 12.1 MB) (FPDS.gov)
- Hurricane Contracting Information Center (HCIC) provides a central point of reference for businesses, especially minority-owned businesses and small- and medium-sized enterprises, to register for and become aware of federal contracting opportunities in the Gulf Coast. While the HCIC does not award contracts, it works to ensure that businesses understand the process and are aware when opportunities become available.
- The federal government has a "checks and balances" system -- the Federal Acquisition Regulation -- for delivering products or services on a timely basis, while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling public policy objectives.
- As emergency contracting procedures fully evolve into standard contracting procedures, future opportunities will be posted on FedBizOpps.
- The Federal Acquisition Regulation permits the use of other than full and open competition when specific conditions exist; one such condition is urgency. When the agency's need for the supplies or services is of such an unusual and compelling urgency that the government would be seriously injured unless the agency is permitted to limit the number of sources from which it solicits bids or proposals, full and open competition need not be provided for. In the early response phase to Katrina, a determination was made that urgent and compelling needs existed and competition was therefore limited. As the recovery phase progresses, the number of competitive procurements is expected to substantially increase.
- FEMA uses a variety of ways to find suppliers, including small businesses, such as a list of previous vendors, internet searches, solicitations, CCR (which includes the Dynamic Small Business Search), and the General Services Administration's (GSA) Advantage. Register with these databases to assist FEMA in locating your business.
- In addition to the government-wide databases listed above, FEMA encourages any business, which can provide products and/or services, to register at the National Emergency Resource Registry (NERR). The NERR coordinates efforts between the resources needed and the resources that may be available from the public and private sectors. FEMA continually searches this site to locate providers.
- In the case of a disaster, emphasis is placed on the use of both small and locally-owned businesses. One goal is to help the community recover both its infrastructure and economy; supporting local businesses is an important way this can be done.
- Other federal agencies are awarding contracts for FEMA as "mission assignments". Those agencies also carry the responsibility to solicit contracts and award them in accordance with government guidelines.
Last Updated: 09/20/2018