Army to Rebid Halliburton Contract -WSJ

[Nambe]

NEW YORK (Reuters)

The U.S. Army plans within months to break up Halliburton Co.'s contract to provide support services for U.S. troops in Iraq -- valued at up to $13 billion -- and open the work to competitive bids, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday, citing an internal Army memorandum. ..

In the Aug. 25 memo, Tina Ballard, the Army's chief of procurement policy, ordered top officials in the U.S. Army Field Support Command "to immediately begin the transition to competitively awarded sustainment contracts for support of U.S. military forces in Iraq," the newspaper said.

The newspaper said the Army is frustrated with efforts to estimate the final cost of the work and may stop negotiating contract costs with KBR, and instead estimate costs on its own. If it takes this step, Halliburton's profit might be hurt, the newspaper said, as KBR may find it harder to stay within estimated costs, making it more difficult to qualify for its 2 percent bonus. ..

The newspaper quoted a Pentagon official as saying the intention in Iraq is to break up Halliburton's work into six or more smaller contracts, and complete the bidding process by the year-end. ..

[alittlelark]

1. Hey Cheney,

You F*cked youself!!

[shraby]

3. LOLOL That's such a sweet face

to go with what you said. :hi:
Cheney has earned his just rewards.

[EnfantTerrible]

6. I think it's just politics...

with Cheney having been on the bubble for the veep spot and chim-chim's handlers deciding to go with him anyway they are now going to cut off lines of attack where Haliburton is conscerned. They (Haliburton) have already made a KILLING... "so we don't pilfer as much as we could have right now... we'll make up the difference and more with four more years..." . It's a defensive move by the Repugs and an investment that will pay off if they stay in power. IMHO...

[LauraK]

17. The bushistas say KBR is the only company that can do it.

We'll see.

[RevCheesehead]

2. I'll believe it when it happens.

[mike_c]

4. or when Haliburton and KBR don't simply walk away...

...with the new contracts at a higher bid price than their current contracts.

[LauraK]

18. You nailed it! Now they say may not bid.

[Kimber Scott]

5. Laugh at Cheney? I'm sure he's the one who initiated this to get the

heat off before the election. KBR and Halliburton will more than likely "win" the bids.

[truthisfreedom]

7. anything that happens in Iraq or Afghanistan between now and November is

pure bushco/rovian politics, and nothing more.

[dbt]

8. "Let them listen to what we say, but WATCH what we DO."

--John Mitchell, somewhere in the early 70s.

:hippie:
dbt

[acmavm]

9. Smoke and mirrors. Sounds good for the elections, makes it look like

they're trying to protect the schmucks who have to pay the bills (you and me). After the election, if bush*/Cheney get back in somehow, well that will be quite a different story. They'll loot, rob, and steal everything with a value of two cents on up.

[Frodo]

10. I can't believe nobody has asked... but HOW can they rebid it...

...if it was a no-bid contract the first time?

[0007]

11. The Pentagon is trying to save face or an ass here or there?

This is right out of the WWF Professional Wrestling play book.

"Pentagon auditors last month "strongly" urged the Army to withhold paying 15 percent of Halliburton's bills in Iraq, saying the company had not provided enough details to support at least $1.82 billion out of $4.3 billion of logistical work."

Is Arthur Anderson still doing books?

[Gin]

12. they have already won big time....billions in profits with no competition.

they probably don't want the hassle of this contract anymore....it's harder and harder to get workers....so...with their pockets full...the bids go out to other companies to do the dirty work.

[Snellius]

13. Sounds like they're settling in for a long occupation

Besides the corruption and cronyism, Halliburton was helped getting contracts because they were used to crisis situations. This sounds more like the Pentagon is looking for long-term suppliers and no longer just combat engineers. But how they expect anyone to come up with a realistic cost estimate in a volatile war zone like Iraq is pretty far-fetched.

[rocktivity]

14. Toro turd

This is a pre-emptive strike so the Kerry camp can't use Halliburton against against Cheney. Maybe they can ask Cheney if he'd be willing to donate his salary and/or the war profits to the soldiers whose families had to go to food banks.

:headbang:
rocknation

[enki23]

15. what do you mean REbid?

.

[Kierkegaard]

16. Exactly!

There was no bid to begin with. Additionally, under what auspices is the contract is being terminated? No bid or not, there is a contract in place. Who breached it and why? Other than for political gain, I mean...

:eyes: