The 2017 Hurricane Season got off to a roaring start with the record-shattering flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Gulf Coast and with potential high winds blowing in from Hurricane Irma along the East Coast.
President Trump has asked Congress for an initial $7.9 billion for Harvey relief, and Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott has estimated that $120 billion is needed. Government-funded distribution of supplies, debris removal, reconstruction and other relief efforts for Harvey are well underway and expected to last for months with Hurricane Irma poised to strike Puerto Rico and parts of the East Coast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Army Corps of Engineers, General Services Administration and several other agencies are involved in disaster contracting. The government’s goal under the Stafford Act is to seek local companies within the disaster area to provide the needed goods and services when practical and feasible.
What is FEMA buying?
According to FEMA, these are the top commodities it procures in disasters:
- Infant/Toddler Products;
- Durable Medical Equipment Kits;
- Consumable Medical Supplies Kits;
- Plastic Sheeting, Tarps;
- Blankets;
- Comfort/Hygiene Kits;
- Water;
- Meals;
- Forklift Rentals;
- Cargo Vans;
- Generators;
- Cots;
- Leased Copy Machines;
- Office Supplies;
- Shredder Bins;
- Portable Toilets;
- Sign Language Services;
- Temporary Labor;
- Janitorial Services.
In some areas, FEMA also may need translators.
Review the information on FEMA’s Industry Liaison Program website to determine if your company is a good fit for disaster relief. (https://www.fema.gov/about-industry-liaison-program).
Contractor Registrations
There are several places to register as a federal disaster relief contractor.
SAM.gov – The primary place to register for federal contracts is the System for Award Management (http://www.SAM.gov). There is no charge to register.
Within SAM.gov, sign up for the Disaster Response Registry to perform disaster response and recovery. Instructions on how to add your company to the registry are at this URL: href=”https://www.acquisition.gov/disaster-response-registry.
FEMA also offers an ILP Vendor Profile form that you can submit to FEMA’s Industry Liaison Program at fema-industry@fema.dhs.gov. FEMA says it uses the form for supplemental market research. It is not advisable to submit proprietary or sensitive information.
If you are a hotel operator, you can register for FEMA’s Emergency Lodging Assistance Program at https://ela.corplodging.com/index.php.
GSA registries
Multiple-award schedules contract holders, as well as holders of other multiple-award contracts, should sign up for the Disaster Relief Programs Aisle at the GSA Advantage online buying platform. Get more information at http://goo.gl/yTP3Ru and at https://vsc.gsa.gov/register.
Providers of emergency transportation participate in the GSA’s Transportation Management Services Solution acquisition program. It pertains to transportation by truck, air, barge, air ambulance and rail as well as rentals of vehicles, trucks and mobile homes. Registration can take up to 60 days, GSA says on its website. The URL link is https://moveit.gsa.gov/#.
Contractors also should sign up at the FedBid.gov and the eBuy online marketplaces.
In addition, sign up with your state and local emergency management agencies for disaster contracts. For rebuilding efforts, get on the contractor lists of major insurance companies.
Find opportunities
Opportunities for disaster relief and recovery are advertised at the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.FBO.gov).
Search for FEMA and Army Corps of Engineers opportunities. Information on the corps’ emergency response mission is at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Operations/ .
Get help
Contact the government’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) closest to you: http://www.aptac-us.org/contracting-assistance/ for assistance with contracting. FEMA and Army Corps small business offices may have guidance, along with Small Business Administration’s district and field offices or its SCORE program.
Note
Keep your SAM.gov and Small Business Dynamic Search listings up-to-date and complete. Also make sure your website is attractive, accurate and easy to navigate as federal contracting officers may review it for market research.
from The Set-Aside Alert, Sept 8 2017