FEMA contract rebids on hold till '06

A vow to hire more minority contractors for Hurricane Katrina work has not yet been met, either, critics said.

WASHINGTON - Despite a month-old pledge, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has yet to reopen four of its biggest no-bid contracts for Hurricane Katrina work and will not do so until the contracts are virtually complete.

A promise to hire more minority-owned firms also is largely unfulfilled.

The no-bid contracts for temporary housing, worth up to $100 million each, were given to Shaw Group Inc., Bechtel Corp., CH2M Hill Inc. and Fluor Corp. right after Katrina struck at the end of August.

Accusations of favoritism helped prompt last month's pledge by acting FEMA Director R. David Paulison, but now officials with the Homeland Security Department, which oversees FEMA, say the contracts will not be awarded again until February...

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