WASHINGTON _ The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded large contracts to several inexperienced companies after Hurricane Maria's devastating strike on Puerto Rico, some of which had never conducted the kind of work they were assigned, according to a McClatchy analysis of government contracting records.
McClatchy analyzed the federal contracting database for Hurricane Maria and identified at least 10 winning bidders with sizable work from FEMA despite having little or no track record. Most of the contractors declined to comment.
Most appear to be performing the work as required, but their selection for major contracts highlights a long-running challenge at the agency with vetting contractors.
