FEMA Reforms Maintenance And Deactivation Of Housing Contracts Post Katrina
Release Date: November 16, 2007
Release Number: HQ-07-224
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» Just The Facts: FEMA Contracting Enhancements and Improvements Post Katrina
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to implement reforms to its disaster assistance operations, which are not reflected in a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. FEMA had already taken steps to correct potential fraud, waste and abuse among its temporary housing contracts even before the GAO released its report.
This report is another look backwards that tries to project the mistakes made in Katrina onto the FEMA of today. FEMA has been actively reforming, reorganizing and evaluating its operations in order to better respond to the nation's needs following all disasters.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were disasters of catastrophic proportions. FEMA has learned many lessons from its experiences and has implemented numerous changes in order to improve its operations. FEMA has repeatedly acknowledged, including in Congressional testimony, that it is learning from past mistakes and using these lessons to create the foundation for building the new FEMA.
"FEMA is committed to being an effective steward of the taxpayer's dollar," said FEMA Administrator David Paulison. "FEMA has, and will continue to learn from past disasters. Where possible, we will recover over payments, refer fraud cases for prosecution, and cancel over-priced contracts."
New FEMA business practices have already resulted in significant savings. Overhauling the contracting process, in one instance, netted a $9 million savings - over 72 percent.
FEMA, along with our partners, are far better positioned to respond to a catastrophic disaster. Since Katrina FEMA has:
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Competed and negotiated fair pricing and terms on pre-positioned contracts;
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More than tripled our professional contracting staff from 35 during Katrina to 118; and they are better equipped, trained and prepared to respond to a catastrophe;
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Pre-scripted more than 200 mission assignments with federal agencies to deliver essential capabilities when needed; and,
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Established an expanded logistics capability that is better integrated with other responding Departments and Agencies.
FEMA has demonstrated these new capabilities in response to tornadoes, floods, and other severe weather, and most recently in the California wildfires. This is the FEMA that would respond if a catastrophic disaster were to happen today.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Friday, 16-Nov-2007 15:37:38