Hurricane Katrina: Agency Contracting Data Should Be More Complete Regarding Subcontracting Opportunities for Small Businesses

Abstract

In response to Hurricane Katrina, the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DOD), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) were responsible for 94 percent of the federal funds awarded for relief efforts via contracting as of May 2006. This report, which GAO conducted under the Comptroller Generals Authority, describes (1) the amounts that small businesses received from prime contracts with these agencies, (2) the extent of subcontracting, (3) and the extent to which Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) received Department of Transportation funds for Katrina-related projects. In conducting this study, GAO analyzed agency contract data, reviewed federal acquisition regulations, and interviewed agency procurement officials. GAO recommends that DOD, DHS, and GSA (1) issue guidance to key personnel reinforcing the importance of subcontracting plan requirements and (2) consider requesting that their Inspectors General review their compliance with this guidance. The agencies generally agreed with GAOs recommendations and are taking steps to implement them.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2007
Accession Number
AD1179461

Entities

People

  • Alison Martin
  • Bill Macblane
  • Emily Chalmers
  • Jim Ashley
  • Julia Kennon
  • Lisa Moore
  • Marc Molino
  • Myra Watts-butler
  • Paul M. Thompson
  • Rhonda Rose
  • Tarek Mahmassani
  • William B. Shear

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Counter WMD
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accountability
  • Acquisition
  • Commerce
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Disasters
  • Governments
  • Homeland Security
  • Humanitarian Assistance
  • National Governments
  • Personnel Management
  • Procurement
  • Reliability
  • Small Business
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Government Contracting/Procurement.