Commerce opens Katrina contracting center

By Tom Shoop tshoop@govexec.com October 13, 2005

Amid criticism that small and minority-owned businesses are having difficulty winning federal contracts to aid in Hurricane Katrina reconstruction efforts, the Commerce Department this week announced the creation of an interagency contracting center designed to guide such firms through the procurement process.

The Hurricane Contracting Information Center will be staffed by representatives of several agencies involved in rebuilding the Gulf Coast, including the Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Labor, and Transportation departments, the Small Business Administration and the General Services Administration.

The center will operate a Web site, www.rebuildingthegulfcoast.gov allowing companies to register with the agencies and get basic information on doing business with the government. Representatives from the agencies also will staff a call center (at 1-888-4USADOC) to provide information on contracting opportunities.

The center will facilitate contacts with the agencies involved in reconstruction, but will not award contracts itself.

"The administration is reaching out to companies of all sizes, especially minority-owned enterprises, to guarantee that those seeking to join the rebuilding efforts can navigate federal agencies and bid for contracts with ease," said Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.

Post a Comment

To post a comment, you must provide a name and a valid e-mail address. Messages must be limited to 400 words. By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Government Executive does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.

Commerce opens Katrina contracting center
*
*
*

RELATED STORIES

GovExec Live!

The Pentagon is almost finished revising regulations that would move 700,000 employees off the General Schedule and onto a pay-for-performance system. The regulations also are designed to streamline the employee appeals process and scale back collective bargaining.

At 12 p.m. EST on Wed., Oct. 19, J. Ward Morrow and Terry Rosen of the American Federation of Government Employees will answer your questions about the National Security Personnel System and the Homeland Security Department's proposed personnel reforms. You can submit your questions early or during the live online discussion.