Jones Walker has been actively assisting clients with their prime and subcontracts for services relating to disaster recovery.  Jones Walker also has experience with the regulatory requirements for government contracts, including competition requirements, responsiveness of bids, proposal preparation, bid protests, indemnity, environmental permits, labor laws and their waivers, and set asides.

In Katrina and Rita’s aftermath, FEMA and the Corps of Engineers have the lion’s share of emergency federal contracts.  Interested contractors should register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) for work with FEMA. You can also visit the Corps’ local website for contract work. Call the agencies or prime contractors listed above in the websites or see www.fedbizopps.gov for contract and subcontract opportunities.  In addition, many of the prime contractors also require that interested subcontractors register with them.  Finally, interested businesses should also register for contracting opportunities with www.accesslouisiana.com.

Available FEMA and Corps contracts appear to fall into three general categories.  First, emergency post-Katrina and post-Rita contracts consist of temporary housing, hurricane debris removal, road and bridge rebuilding, and delivery of subsistence items.  Second, mid-term contracts include dredging, operation and maintenance of flood control works, rebuilding levees and restoration.  Finally, Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain and other waterbody levee enhancements and Louisiana coastal restoration are among the longer term projects.

There is an apparent movement to award more contracts to Louisiana businesses.  Thus, teaming agreements between local and “foreign contractors” may become more prevalent. 

For more information or for assistance with commercial contracts, please contact Marc Hebert or Scott Zander.