FEMA Encourages Gulf Coast Small And Small Disadvantaged Businesses To Apply Now For Contracting Opportunities

December 1, 2005, WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA) continues to reach out to Gulf Coast businesses and is inviting local businesses to contracting seminars next week and encouraging them to apply for contract opportunities now available. FEMA has released the Requests for Proposal (RFP) for previously announced contracts to be awarded to local, small and small disadvantaged businesses for maintenance and deactivation of temporary housing in the Gulf Region. Companies are encouraged to submit proposals and are invited to attend the pre-proposal conferences hosted by FEMA in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas the week of December 5.

“Local, small and minority-owned businesses are playing a critical role in rebuilding the Gulf Coast,” said Acting FEMA Director David Paulison. “Getting local businesses more heavily involved in the long-term recovery efforts will also contribute to the overall economic recovery of the region.”

Eight RFP’s, intended to result in 15, five-year contracts, with a value of up to $100 million each have been released. Two separate announcements are posted at FedBizOpps at www.fbo.gov. One announcement is for small, disadvantaged businesses (certified as 8(a) firms by the Small Business Administration) and one is for small businesses. Each announcement contains four RFP’s, one for each affected state – Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. FEMA expects to award seven small business and eight 8(a) contracts by February 2006.

FEMA set aside $1.5 billion for maintenance and deactivation of roughly 100,000 temporary housing units, which amounts to approximately 6,700 units per contract. These indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts will be awarded to local, small and small disadvantaged businesses in order to increase their contribution to the recovery efforts following the Gulf Coast hurricanes. FEMA will evaluate all proposals submitted, working with the SBA to confirm “small business” and Section 8(a) status of the companies, and preference will be given to contractors based in the Gulf Coast states.

Small businesses are those firms that do not exceed an average of $30 million in annual gross receipts over the past three years. Small disadvantaged businesses are 8(a) firms certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act. For more information on Section 8(a) businesses go to www.sba.gov/8abd.

In an effort to reach Gulf Coast state businesses and provide opportunity and information about contracting with FEMA, FEMA contracting staff will host meetings in the following locations during the week of December 5:

Tuesday, December 6th
Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel
2 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70140
11:00 am-1:00 pm CST

Wednesday, December 7th
Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino
850 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
11:00 am- 1:00 pm CST

Thursday, December 8th
Quality Inn and Suites Convention Center
2705 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36109
11:00 am- 1:00 pm CST

Friday, December 9th
1200 Louisiana Street
Houston, TX 77002
12:00 pm- 2:00 pm CST

All interested companies may go to Rebuilding the Gulf Coast at www.rebuildingthegulfcoast.gov to find the Requests for Proposal (RFP) or FedBizOpps at www.fbo.gov. For those without Internet capabilities, written requests for an RFP can be made by faxing Nancy Costello at (202) 646-3846 or e-mailing nancy.costello@dhs.gov.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Contact Information

Nancy Costello

Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA)

Contact via E-mail