Davis To Lead Hearing on Iraq Contracting

September 26, 2006

What: Government Reform Committee Oversight Hearing,
"Acquisition Under Duress: Reconstruction Contracting in Iraq"

When: Thursday, September 28, 2006
10 a.m.

Where: ROOM 2154, RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING

The Committee on Government Reform, chaired by Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., will hold an oversight hearing to explore the state of reconstruction contracting efforts in Iraq.

The Committee has held four hearings, received numerous briefings from administration officials and reviewed thousands of documents on the challenges of contracting in Iraq all dedicated to contractor logistics support for the war effort. This is the first to look at contracting activities related to the reconstruction program in Iraq.

Congress has approved nearly $20 billion for hospitals, water, electricity, schools and other facilities. Poor security and a seemingly endless series of management challenges have contributed to a succession of troubled acquisitions in Iraq.

A children's hospital in Basra is $50 million over budget and nearly a year behind schedule. A project to construct 150 primary health-care centers throughout Iraq has consumed $180 million. Yet, just six centers have opened, and officials now expect that no more than 20 will be built. A $218 million emergency communications network doesn't work. Multiple water projects are over budget and behind schedule.

Witnesses will speak to the root causes of acquisition problems in Iraq and address whether they are part and parcel of doing business in a war zone or result from lack of planning.

WITNESSES


PANEL I

Katherine Schinasi
Managing Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management
U.S. Government Accountability Office

Stuart W. Bowen, Jr.
Inspector General
Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction

Tina Ballard
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Procurement
U.S. Army

Joseph Tyler
Chief, Programs Integration Division
Military Programs Directorate
Army Corps of Engineers

Amb. David Satterfield
Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Iraq
U.S. Department of State

James Bever
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Iraq
Bureau for Asia and the Near East
U.S. Agency for International Development


PANEL II

Ernest O. Robbins II
Senior Vice President and Manager, International Division
Parsons Infrastructure and Technology Group

Cliff Mumm
President
Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation