State and Federal Agencies Look to Contractors in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey

The Federal government’s response to Hurricane Harvey 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.