Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that he has compiled the information requested by The Honorable Lolo Moliga, President of the Senate, regarding contracting opportunities for local contractors to participate in the rebuilding efforts on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

 “I fully support the Senator’s efforts on behalf of our local contractors,” the Congressman said.  “By contracting in the Gulf Coast, our local workers can assist in the reconstruction of the areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.”

 In his letter responding to President Lolo, Faleomavaega recommended that local contractors register with the Central Contractor Registration online, at www.ccr.gov.  Those businesses that qualify should also contact the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certify their status, at www.sba.gov.  The FEMA website also contains information on doing business with FEMA, including subcontractor information through the Shaw Group (at www.shawgrp.com) and through the various state agencies handling the reconstruction efforts.

 The full text of the letter to President Lolo, with detailed contact information for contractors, is as follows:

September 23, 2005

The Honorable Lolo M. Moliga
President
American Samoa Senate
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Dear Mr. President:

 Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding local contractors assisting with the recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  I commend you on your initiative on this issue.  The services of the local contractors would be a boon to the reconstruction efforts in the Gulf Coast region and would also provide an economic boost to our local economy.  I am pleased to be of assistance by providing information on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracting process.

 Vendors looking to provide products or services in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi or Florida should contact the following resources that are coordinating the disaster relief efforts:
 
 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

 Visit the FEMA website at: www.fema.gov

 The Shaw Group is assisting FEMA and other governmental agencies in recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Subcontractors and craftsmen, please visit the Shaw Group website for more information and to apply for available positions:

Shawgrp.com
(866) 904-7429 ext. 5875
(877) 271-4543
 
 Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

 To register with the National Emergency Resource Registry please visit the following website: www.swern.gov

SWERN is the Central Repository for all Hurricane relief. 

 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

 Contractors interested in assisting should fill out the subcontractor forms on the following two websites, please go to:

For Alabama and Florida:

Phillips & Jordan, Inc. (for cleanup in Alabama and Florida)
Phone (Toll Free): 1-800-763-4718
Website: http://disaster.pandj.com/primaries/contract.html

For Louisiana and Mississippi:

ASHBRITT (for cleanup in Louisiana and Mississippi)
Phone (Toll Free): 1-800-244-5094
Phone: 954-545-3535
Website: www.ashbritt.com/sub_contract.shtml
email: info@ashbritt.com

For other disaster response work in Louisiana, call the Memphis Corps of Engineers Office at (901) 544-3117 or (901) 544-3116.

For other disaster response work in Mississippi, call the Vicksburg Corps of Engineers office at (601) 631-5814 or (601) 631-7262 or submit an email to: cemvk-ct@usace.army.mil

 In general, proposals must include the following information:

• Company name
• Business address
• Contact information
• Type of service or product offered
• Type of equipment
• Number of workers being provided
• Cost for service or product
• Whether the company is volunteering services

 Division of Emergency Management

Alabama
Phone: 205-280-2200 (Press 0 to speak with the operator)
http://ema.alabama.gov

If you are interested in contracting opportunities with the State of Alabama, on your Company Letterhead, list your capabilities and contact information. Fax this information to: 334-409-4663 Attention: FEMA Contract

Louisiana
Out-of-state contractors should contact the following agencies in order to do business in Louisiana:

1. Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors: 225.765.2301. This agency will ensure that the out-of-state credentials are reciprocal with Louisiana qualifications. http://www.lslbc.louisiana.gov/index.asp

2. Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness 225.925.7500.
This agency is the liaison for FEMA. FEMA will NOT be hiring any contractors directly. Homeland Security will be qualifying and directing those efforts.
http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov

3. Secretary of State Corporations Division - 225.925.4704.
Your business will need to obtain a "Certificate of Authority" to be in compliance. Application forms are available from the Corporations Section. Use form #326 for corporations and form #972 for LLC's.
http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/comm/corp/corp-filings.htm

Mississippi
Phone (Toll Free): 1-800-222-6362
Phone: 601-352-9100
Website: http://www.mississippi.gov
Website: http://www.msema.org
Note: You may experience problems calling Mississippi at this time.

Florida
Florida County Emergency Management Contacts:
Phone: 850-413-9969
Website: www.floridadisaster.org/County_EM/county_list.htm#
Florida Disaster Contractors Network:
Website: www.dcnonline.org
Email: dcn@dcnonline.org
Florida Home Builders Assistance at:
Phone: 850-385-1414
Website: www.fhba.com
 Due to the immediacy of emergency opportunities, it is unlikely that opportunities dealing with the hurricanes will be advertised through the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) system.  To locate possible notices posted on the FedBizOpps website related to Hurricane Katrina:

 To search on the FedBizOpps website, www.fbo.gov, from the homepage click on “Find Business Opportunities GO.”  In the “Full Text Search” input keywords, such as “Florida,” “Mississippi,” “Alabama,” “Louisiana,” “disaster”, “Hurricane Katrina.”
Results will be returned.

General Contracting Information

 Generally, FEMA acquires the services of independent contractors in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation through sealed bidding or negotiations.

 In some cases, FEMA utilizes vendors from the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule.  To become a GSA Schedule contractor a vendor must first submit an offer in response to the applicable GSA Schedule solicitation.  For information on becoming a GSA schedule contractor visit www.gsa.gov.

 FEMA also accepts unsolicited proposals for products and services.  For more information concerning business solicitations, call FEMA at (202) 646-4006.  FEMA’s website provides information explaining the Agency’s mission, needs, and buying practices, at http://www.fema.gov/ofm/business.shtm.

 FEMA also locates qualified small businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  SBA provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses.  A contractor interested in receiving Small Disadvantaged Business, HUBZone, or 8(a) certifications will need to refer to SBA to complete that process, at www.sba.gov.   

 The Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is the primary vendor database for the U.S. Federal Government. The CCR collects, validates, stores and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition missions.
 
 Both current and potential government vendors are required to register in CCR in order to do be awarded contracts by the government. Vendors are required to complete a one-time registration to provide basic information relevant to procurement and financial transactions. Vendors must update or renew their registration annually to maintain an active status.  Contractors can register online at www.ccr.gov.

  In conclusion, our local contractors who have not yet registered to be contractors with the federal government can register online with CCR.  Those contractors who are eligible but have not yet received certification should also contact SBA to complete the process with SBA as this could prove beneficial in the contracting process.  For those contractors who are interested in working as subcontractors on existing hurricane relief projects, I would encourage them to contact the state agencies listed above as well as contacting the Shaw Group, the company handling FEMA’s response to Hurricane Katrina.

 Again, I commend you on your initiative and I am pleased to compile this information for our local contractors.  Please contact me if I can be of further assistance in this matter.

                                       Sincerely,

                                                   ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA
                                                   Member of Congress 

“I commend President Lolo on his initiative on this issue.  I hope our local contractors are able to use this information to help in the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast,” Faleomavaega concluded.