Mar. 17, 2006 - 20:49 MST

NOT SURPRISED

A short article by The Associated Press in this morning's Rocky Mountain News, buried back in mid-paper verifies what most of us figured was the straight skinny. In full:

AUDIT: MILLIONS LOST IN KATRINA CONTRACTS

WASHINGTON -- "The government wasted millions of dollars in its award of post-Katrina Hurricane contracts for disaster relief, including at least $3 million for 4,000 beds that were never used, congressional 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 hurricane -- offers the first preliminary overview of their soundness."

"Waste and mismanagement were widespread because of poor planning and miscommunication, according to the five-page briefing paper released Thursday. That led to money being paid for services, such as housing or ice, that were never used."

"Nicol Andrews, a spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 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."

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One thing that constantly amazes me is the amount of work and material that is arranged for without competitive bidding. Even in an emergency RFQs should go out and the quotes be scanned and then carefully worded, iron clad contracts be given, overseen and offenders punished.

Not necessary for it to be long drawn out like much government work, RFQs could be sent out via the net to the appropriate companies and a definite time limit be set on the awarding of the contracts.

It could also be possible that interested companies would post bond, go ahead on the work after submitting their bids and after the bid awarded the company doing the work be paid for the work they put in already.

I know there was a lot of frantic fumbling right after the hurricane, but that shouldn't last forever, but I fear it will.

Seems from what I have read New Orleans has been a money sinkhole for many decades on flood control and levee strengthening / erection. Misapplication, graft and diversion seemed to be the playing field and seems to be so, still.

This in the newspaper, but for the most part I think most of us expected this to be confirmed someday. I rather expect that further down the line more damaging revelations will come to our eyes, only after billions of dollars have been thrown to the winds and blown into many greedy pockets. Really, I am NOT SURPRISED . . . . . . . . .

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