[StBernard] GAO: Millions wasted during Katrina relief

[Westley Annis]

GAO: Millions wasted during Katrina relief 
Among other problems, $3 million spent after hurricane on beds never used

The Associated Press
Updated: 3:22 p.m. ET March 16, 2006


WASHINGTON - The government wasted millions of dollars in its award of
post-Katrina contracts for disaster relief, including at least $3 million
for 4,000 beds that were never used, federal auditors said Thursday.

The Government Accountability Office's review of 13 major contracts - many
of them awarded with limited or no competition after the Aug. 29 storm -
offers the first preliminary overview of their soundness.

Waste and mismanagement were widespread due to poor planning and
miscommunication, according to the five-page briefing paper released
Thursday. That led to money that was paid for work never used.

"The government's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita depended heavily
on contractors to deliver ice, water and food supplies; patch rooftops; and
provide housing to displaced residents," said the report by the GAO,
Congress' auditing arm. "FEMA did not adequately anticipate needs."

Nicol Andrews, a spokeswoman for FEMA, said the agency was working hard to
improve its awarding of billions of dollars of government contracts as it
prepares for the next hurricane season.

"We have been working with (Homeland) Secretary (Michael) Chertoff to
incorporate unprecedented levels of oversight in FEMA contracting," she
said. "However, in the event of a disaster when minutes count, we have the
authority to do what it takes to move quickly."

By and large, the initial criticism of FEMA, from members of Congress and
others, was that the agency moved too slowly to assist hurricane victims.

Contracts with politically connected companies
Of more than 700 contracts valued at $500,000 or greater, more than half
were awarded without competition, often to politically connected companies
such as Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root, Bechtel Corp. and
AshBritt Inc.

Democrats, in particular, in recent weeks have called for limits on no-bid
agreements, which they say have been awarded to politically connected
companies at the expense of a slow Gulf Coast rebuilding effort.

"Previous reports of waste in the aftermath of Katrina have been bad, but
this one is worse," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the top Democrat on
the House Government Reform Committee.

"The Bush administration has learned nothing from its disastrous contract
management in Iraq," he said. "The administration seems incapable of
spending money in a way that actually meets the needs of Gulf Coast
residents."

The GAO report released Thursday speaks broadly and does not address the
validity of no-bid contracts; those reviews are currently under way by
inspector generals at Homeland Security and other agencies. But it found
significant problems in its general review of the 13 contracts, most of
which were limited bid.

Agencies praised for 'hard work'
According to the report, the GAO praised government agencies for their "hard
work" in securing contracts after the disaster, but said millions could have
been saved if they had adopted previous GAO recommendations to hire more
personnel, prearrange contracts and better train staff.

Among the findings:

Non-existent communication with local officials led to misjudgments on the
need for temporary housing. They included $3 million that FEMA spent for
4,000 base camp beds that were never used and $10 million to renovate and
furnish 240 rooms in Alabama, which housed only six occupants before being
closed.
Poor coordination between FEMA and the Army Corps contributed to waste in an
Americold Logistics LLC's contract for ice. "The local Corps personnel were
not always aware of where ice might be delivered and did not have authority
... resulting in inefficient distribution," it said.
Inadequate planning led to the award of a Mississippi contract for
classrooms without competition. "Information in the contract files suggests
the negotiated prices were inflated." A review of that specific contract,
with Akima Site Operations LLC, was continuing.
FEMA had only 17 of the 27 monitors it deemed necessary to oversee the
installation of temporary housing in four states, leading to inadequate
controls.
The 13 Katrina contracts reviewed involve the following 12 companies: C.
Henderson Consulting; Americold Logistics; Clearbrook LLC; CS&M Associates;
Gulf Stream Coach Inc.; Morgan Building & Spas Inc.; Bechtel National; Fluor
Enterprises Inc.; CH2M Hill Constructors Inc.; E.T.I. Inc.; Ceres
Environmental Services Inc.; and Thompson Engineering Inc.

Some of the firms, including Gulf Stream Coach and Bechtel, have close ties
to the Bush administration or have contributed significantly to the GOP.

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