Small Firms Win Hurricane Relief Work The Federal Emergency Management Agency says small firms will take over maintenance of temporary housing for Gulf Coast hurricane victims, replacing four large corporations that were awarded sole-source contracts. FEMA said it is awarding five-year contracts worth up to $100 million each to 36 small businesses. Half of them are 8(a) firms and 28 are headquartered in the Gulf Coast region. “FEMA is committed to the recovery of the Gulf Coast region, and we understand the critical role small and minority-owned businesses must play in these efforts,” said Acting FEMA Director David Paulison in a March 31 statement. “The awards made today demonstrate our commitment to a full and open competition procurement strategy for temporary housing work in the Gulf Coast.” The small firms will take over for the Shaw Group, Bechtel Corp., CH2M Hill and Fluor Corp. Each of them received sole-source contracts worth up to $500 million apiece that drew widespread criticism. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts cover maintenance and eventual deactivation of about 150,000 temporary housing units in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas.