Return to Article: Overhead reached 55 percent in some Iraq contracts

By Jenny Mandel jmandel@govexec.com October 25, 2006
  • 19406

    Tom,

    I don't understand your concerns about "being in theater." You don't have to "be in theater" to know how to manage a project. The issues being discussed are construction of Iraq buildings and infrastructure that do not have to be ready when things change! The construction projects should have been on hold until the area was secure. It still is not secure and probably will not be in the near future. These projects should have never proceeded and probably should still be on hold. This is a waste of my money and everyone else's. I have all the answers to how my money should be used - even by those in theater! Iraq is a big waste or our resources -- money and personnel. At least the administration of the program should be more driven by thought than by being in theater.

    Taxpayer Posted October 30, 2006 7:52 AM
  • 19365

    Taxpayer,

    Have you ever been in a combat theatre? Do you know how quickly they change and you would need to have these personnel in place just in case it was over quickly, or that even in the possibility that the action would be extended for a long period of time that it is still more cost effective to keep the personnel in the theatre than it would be to send them back and then redeploy when the time was more appropriate?

    I wish you would run for office because then all our worries would be taken care of because you have all the answers!

    Tom Posted October 26, 2006 12:34 PM
  • 19356

    If you tell me to move hundreds of people forward to implement construction and I have to feed, transport and house them while they sit idle, the indirect costs are going to be phenomenal! It is not the contractors' fault -- it is the federal government's fault! The contracting officers should have known whether or not construction could start. If those government employees in charge of ordering the construction decided to delay the start for a half year -- they should be held accountable, not the contractors! Those in charge of the construction should be fired for bad management that resulted is a significant outlay of indirect costs that could have been avoided if they were doing their jobs properly!

    Guess what? It ain't gonna happen! It's not their money -- it's ours.

    Taxpayer Posted October 26, 2006 9:48 AM

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.

Overhead reached 55 percent in some Iraq contracts
*
*
*
Vendors Solutions Center