Hurricanes Helene and Milton Put a Spotlight on Disaster Response Contracting Efforts

The federal government’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton will increase its reliance upon government contractor support to perform critical tasks in the coming months.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency and other federal, state, and local agencies charged with disaster response and recovery will look to contractors to provide everything from logistics to housing, construction, and security services.  National disaster contracting provides contractors with immediate opportunities to assist in the recovery effort, but given the time sensitivity, evolving customer needs, and critical nature of the work, contractors must be prepared to: (i) perform under tight deadlines and high scrutiny; (ii) seek clarity with respect to the scope of work they are asked to perform; (iii) properly manage contract and change order documentation; and (iv) maintain contract files for subsequent audits and other inquiries which can take place years after the recovery effort has ended.  One of the most common contract risks associated with disaster response efforts is the inevitable “scope creep” as contractors encounter ever-changing events on the ground, which puts an emphasis on record keeping and timely communications with government customers, to ensure payment for work performed.

In addition, when responding to disasters, agencies typically turn first to regional or local businesses to rapidly support relief efforts.  Contractors, especially small businesses getting involved for the first time, can prepare for these recovery opportunities by making sure they are registered in SAM.gov and added to the Disaster Response Registry.  Additional information on participating in the Disaster Response Registry is available here:  Disaster Response Registry | Acquisition.GOV