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	Press Releases April 10, 2003   LIEBERMAN CALLS FOR JUSTIFICATION OF CLOSED BIDDING ON IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION, LEGISLATION WOULD REQUIRE USAID TO PUBLICLY EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY IT SELECTED CONTRACTORS   WASHINGTON – Senator Joe Lieberman, D-Conn, co-sponsored legislation Thursday, April 10, that would compel federal agencies to publicly account for decisions to award Iraqi reconstruction contracts without an open, competitive bidding process. The "Sunshine in Iraq Reconstruction Contracting Act of 2003," a bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by Senator Lieberman, sets out requirements for the United States Agency for International Development and other Federal agencies to publicly justify any closed bidding process for Iraqi reconstruction work. In recent weeks, USAID and the Defense Department used a closed no-bid or limited bid process to award several Iraqi reconstruction projects totaling $1.7 billion. "Contracts to help rebuild Iraq will cost the government billions of dollars," said Lieberman. "When this much money is on the line, taxpayers deserve to know exactly how their money is being spent, why particular companies are getting favorable treatment, and why cost-saving bids are not being taken.” The Sunshine in Iraq Reconstruction Contracting Act of 2003, (S. 876) was introduced by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore. Other cosponsors are Senators Susan Collins, R-Me., Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. The Act would require federal agencies to publish in the Federal Register or Commerce Business Daily documents justifying any non-competitive bidding process. The published information would disclose the amount of the contract, a brief description of the contract's scope, and a list of companies selected for the closed bidding process and explanations of how and why the agency chose those contractors. The head of a department or agency would be able to withhold publication of any classified document or redact any part of a document that contains classified information, but Congress would review any withheld information. In the past, the U.S. General Accounting Office found that contractors did not do enough to contain costs on construction projects involving the U.S. military. A September 2000 GAO report found that federal officials "frequently have accepted the level of services the contractor provided without questioning whether they could be provided more efficiently or less frequently and at lower cost." The Sunshine in Iraq Reconstruction Contracting Act of 2003 was referred to the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, of which Senator Collins and Senator Lieberman are the Chair and Ranking Member, respectively. On April 1, 2003, Lieberman sent a letter to USAID Inspector General Everett L. Mosley, requesting information on how the agency selected companies invited to bid on its construction contracts to rebuild post-war Iraq. On April 16, Lieberman wrote to USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios to ask why USAID waited until January of 2003 to begin the formal contracting process for rebuilding Iraq.   ###   Printable Version   « previous Press Release next Press Release »   1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 April 2003 Press Releases March   |  May   --   2002   |  2004     April 29 - Lieberman Pursues Aggressive Homeland Security Oversight, Appeals to Bush to Better Manage Intelligance Information   April 29 - Lieberman, Cantwell: DOE Inspector General Conducting a Preliminary Investigation into FERC's Wall Street Contacts   April 28 - Campaign Finance China Connection Re-emerges   April 23 - Lieberman, Cantwell Seek Investigation of Federal Energy Regulators’ Wall Street Contacts   April 21 - Postal Workers Deprived of Significant Information Concerning Anthrax Contamination at Wallingford   April 16 - Lieberman Seeks More Answers on USAID Bidding Process for Post-War Construction Contracts   April 14 - Lieberman Questions Animal Feedlot Rule   April 10 current Press Release   April 10 - Lieberman Condemns Interior-Utah Deal on Public Land Claims   April 9 - Lieberman: Investing in Homeland Security, Challenges on the Front Line   April 8 - Administration Policies Reduce First Responder Force, 60 Percent of the Largest Police Forces are Pulling Back from War on Terrorism   April 7 - Lieberman Seeks Probe of Deputy Secretary Griles' Adherence to Ethics Agreements   April 4 - Lieberman Heeds Lessons of SARS Outbreak   April 3 - Lieberman Raises New Questions About Handling of Suspicious Mail at Hartford Facility Despite Assurances by Postmaster General   April 1 - Lieberman Seeks Information on USAID’s Selection of Companies Allowed to Bid on Iraqi Construction Contracts
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