GSA disaster recovery program gains momentum

Spending through the General Services Administration’s Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program nearly tripled during the last quarter of fiscal 2009, growing from $2.5 million in the third quarter to $6.5 million in the fourth, according to a new report.

Companies reported their highest quarterly sales increases from July to September 2009 since the program began in fiscal 2007, according to a report on the program issued Jan. 20 by the Washington Management Group.

Overall, sales through the buying program have grown from roughly $3 million in 2007 to nearly $18 million in 2009, according to the report.

State and local governments have spent more than $30 million through the program, the report states.

GSA's Disaster Recovery Purchasing Program started Feb. 1, 2007, to help state and local governments recover from a federally declared major disaster or an act of terrorism. Those governments can use GSA’s Federal Supply Schedule contracts to buy products and services for recovery work.

During the past three years, state and local governments most often have bought consulting services, the report states. They spent $4.5 million for services from the Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services schedule that includes those services. Beside the consulting services, state and local governments spent $2.8 million on fire trucks and accessories. They also spent $1.2 million for information technology services, the report said.