Posted on 02/07/2018 6:21:00 AM PST by artichokegrower
The mission for the Federal Emergency Management Agency was clear: Hurricane Maria had torn through Puerto Rico, and hungry people needed food. Thirty million meals needed to be delivered as soon as possible.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
After Tribute’s failure to provide the meals became clear, FEMA formally terminated the contract for cause, citing Tribute’s late delivery of approved meals. Ms. Brown is disputing the termination. On Dec. 22, she filed an appeal, arguing that the real reason FEMA canceled her contract was because the meals were packed separately from the heating pouches, not because of their late delivery. Ms. Brown claims the agency did not specify that the meals and heaters had to be together.
She is seeking a settlement of at least $70 million. Her subcontractors, Cooking With A Star LLC, and Breedlove Foods Inc., have threatened to sue her for breach of contract, Ms. Brown said. Kendra Robinson, the caterer who runs Cooking With A Star, said she has about 75,000 meals her company prepared for FEMA sitting in an Atlanta warehouse.
So how many meals were delivered by FEMA/FEMA contractors, NY Times?
It seems to me what we have is a story of a non-performing contractor being terminated reasonably quickly. The implication as written is OMG, NO ONE GOT MEALS! I doubt this is the case.
The NY Times does include this quote:
“FEMA insists no Puerto Ricans missed a meal as a result of the failed agreement with Tribute. FEMA relied on other suppliers that provided “ample” food and water for distribution, said William Booher, an agency spokesman.”
but then goes right back to OMG! NO MEALS DELIVERED!
The real story here is why is it so hard to do business with the FedGov that you need these government contractor/brokers who navigate arcane procurement rules for a cut of the deal? The answer would seem to be bad legislation and agency rules.
My hubby eats cold soup. Right out of the can with a spoon. I think it’s gross so I asked him why? He said his mom always ate it that way and he likes it.
I had to do selective search to find *any* background info beyond the breathless reporting of the narrative engineers at dinosaur media, but here it is:
http://www.tiffanycbrown.com/about-me/
// ABOUT ME
Tiffany Brown
Dr. Tiffany Brown
Dr. Tiffany Brown is no stranger to hard work and putting forth a strong effort to create success. The native of Atlanta has taken great pride in her education and strives to continue broadening her knowledge. Graduating with a degree in Political Science from the prestigious Spelman College in 2001, a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Clark Atlanta in 2004 and also a Doctorate in Public Policy from Walden University in 2009, Dr. Brown earned these achievements through determination and the desire to achieve her goals.
She has held positions with the United States Government Accountability Office, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, Georgia Law Center for the Homeless, Georgia Conservation Voters, Supreme Court of Georgia, Equifax, Coca-Cola Enterprises .. Dr. Brown is a former 2009 Write-in Atlanta Mayoral Candidate and owner of 3 companies:
>> Tribute Contracting LLC, a minority owned government consulting firm (with Three FEMA Contracts over a span of five that equals 10.8 million and 1 million sales this year alone... //
>> That said, she seems to be a busy, accomplished, resourceful entrepreneur; should have been better communication on her part.
Weird webpage. She appears to really be full of herself like she some kind of corporate designer name but shes just another small-time gubbermint-empowered crook.
Whats her connection with the Congo-gressional Blak Caw-Cuss?
How many times did she visit the White Hut when Oblabbermouth was there?
Long live affirmitives actshun.
“The fact that FEMA wouldn’t have some on standby for a situation is silly.”
Years ago when I worked as a logistician for that agency we had MRE’s stored to provide food for emergency workers but it was a limited supply. The costs to warehouse thousands of meals is steep. The agency was cutting costs (a good thing) and eliminating some of its smaller depots because keeping them running was just too expensive.
I believe FEMA only operates 3 or 4 storage facilities nationwide and these are full of other equipment. Storing food and water are not priorities. These items can be quickly contracted out or bought on the open market.
FEMA is suffering “mission creep”. The agency was never designed to provide direct support (food, water, shelter) to disaster victims. It was supposed to be a “continuity of government” force assisting with and coordinating relief efforts. Food, water etc. were usually provided by Red Cross etc. Since Katrina, people expect FEMA to do everything and the agency (which is actually very small manpower wise) is not structured to do that.
I think other posters hit the nail on the head with the supposition that previous hurricane relief efforts had depleted the available sources of “ready to eat” meals that FEMA could quickly procure from established sources and they had to go to a new untried contractor for the Puerto Rico effort. Obviously it didn’t work out too well in this instance.
I have the site bookmarked and check it ever so often. I lived there for several years before transferring back to CONUS. We enjoyed it.
I came across mention somewhere that she is countersuing - but cannot now find that link or info.
Ironic & hurtful to HER, who has apparently been such a good example of a hardworking businesswoman (& a seeming shining light amongst all the liberal pretenders!) that the liberal media outlets do not themselves get to the real bottom of this, just stop at point to make oooh, Trump’s!!!! FEMA look bad.
I look forward to hearing from those who know more about her.
DING! DING! DING!
We have the REAL winner!
This is a news story meant to demean FEMA and indirectly, President Trump (their REAL target). You can see it in the comments at the news site. If this was a Democrat Administration, the news story would have praised, in great, grand detail, the quick, strident response from FEMA, to catch these types of con-artists who would do harm to innocent victims of a hurricane!
FEMA gave a contract, realized pretty dang quick that she was not going to make the deadline (AND did not provide the meals as requested - not “self heating” - a double whammy), suspended the contract and then CANCELED the contract upon further review. They got conned, they caught the con and they moved on to get another supplier to pickup her slack! Sounds like a job well done, to me!
But alas, this is a story about an inept FEMA, and President, that allowed this travesty to even occur! LOL!
Oh no...we have to cater to the racists.
Lol, now I see yours! It look forever to load for me - as all across the country, conservatives are looking it up & doing the work the narrative engineers at lamestream cannot be bothered to do!
Agree, seems odd/full of self, but that’s not unusual; seems to me she has worked to get where she is unlike SO many other liberals & leeches. Dunno. It will be interesting to get more info.
Not when they contract with a non established vendor. That's crazy.
If they're good enough for the troops, they should be good enough for disaster relief ...
// https://m.yelp.com/biz/tiffany-brown-atlanta-2 // “..she’s a crook, etc..”
Ah! Thanks for posting! Let the background info begin, as I posted above. I will regret if / that she really is (yet) another crook :-(
So who stole the money?
That’s what I was thinking! Contracts should be in place with high-volume food production companies - it’s what they do. Their expertise is efficiently producing a marketable product in a competitive environment. Have the agreements and specs in place now, and when needed call on these companies to spin up production.
Instead, we’re going with contractors based on a list of ‘disadvantages’ vs. real world demonstrated competencies. Sick to think that political correctness can stand in the way of feeding people in dire need.
Where did the money go? The unused portion needs to be returned, pronto!
// FEMA gave a contract, realized pretty dang quick that she was not going to make the deadline (AND did not provide the meals as requested - not “self heating” - a double whammy), suspended the contract and then CANCELED the contract upon further review. They got conned, they caught the con and they moved on to get another supplier to pickup her slack! Sounds like a job well done, to me! //
Exactly. You’re doing medias’s job there. (I’m cross posting- )
More TDS & further discredited dinosaur media - for those who care to SEE. Put this with elpadre’s link above http://www.status.pr/?lng=en & clearly USA has done well.
Re: Campbells soup: YES! Sirloin burger in our hurricane closet, makes a great easy meal in a can; heating optional.
Hard to believe that FEMA doesn't have a contract in place that allows for just such a request, with perhaps a 72-hour notification requirement (typical of logistics/supply contract options). They have to rotate the stock of MREs nationally, anyway. You'd think that pulling and shipping the oldest batch would be SOP.
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