I have a question about this port deal...

[bounce]

I understand that the Brits are selling the right to oversee port operations to the UAE.

OK, fine.

Where does the $6.8 Billion go? Does it go to the Brits? After all, they're selling the business.

The way I understood it, the $6.8 Bil comes to us.

Why would the money come to us if the Brits are selling the business?

What's up with that?

[tits]

Is it the individual States, Municipalities, or Federal only. If it is Federal only, then everything would be spelled out in the FAR.

Federal Acquisition Regulations is a multiple volume guideline that identifies the basic rules for all federal contracts. Add to this the individual Agency requirements, i.e. DOD and MILSPEC, EPA, State EPA or DNR, and the whole bid process for a government contract becomes a nightmare.

The opening paragraph in the old hardbound volumes began: "Welcome to the worlds largest consumer..."

The current FAR is available via the net and consists of dozens of volumes, some dedicated to a specific subject (i.e. Shipping). The opening volume "Federal Acquisition Regulations System" is 1130 pages alone.

"1.000 Scope of part.
This part sets forth basic policies and general information about the Federal Acquisition Regulations System including purpose, authority, applicability, issuance, arrangement, numbering, dissemination, implementation, supplementation, maintenance, administration, and deviation. Subparts 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4 prescribe administrative procedures for maintaining the FAR System. "


"1.101 Purpose.
The Federal Acquisition Regulations System is established for the codification and publication of uniform policies and procedures for acquisition by all executive agencies. The Federal Acquisition Regulations System consists of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which is the primary document, and agency acquisition regulations that implement or supplement the FAR. The FAR System does not include internal agency guidance of the type described in 1.301(a)(2)."

It is not easy to meet all of the FAR regulations, individual agency and state requirements, doing business with the Federal Government. The larger the contract the longer it takes to muddle through the SOW and Specification. There are teams of legal professionals searching the FAR and every Scope of Work from inside and outside the government. Heck, I would not be surprised if the original Ports Authority Operations contract itself had not been farmed out to some major NYC law firm specializing in contract law.

Many people still wham Cheney for the Haliburton contract, what the general public does not realize is that there are very very very few corporations globally that can meet all of the requirements of that DOD "8A" contract. Often large contractors farm out smaller contracts to smaller corporations or businesses to fulfill the contract. I searched the record and found where the original Haliburton contract went out for bid in April 1999 and was not awarded until October 2000.

I worked on several DOD 8A contracts during my time with USACHPPM. An 8A contract are those large all encompassing contracts usually awarded to those few firms who can provide a "turnkey" service (Operations of a military base).

I was a lowly environmental toxicologist who was required to gleam out only those firms who could meet environmental health portions of the Scope of Work. Every medical, engineering, legal, construction, transportation, etc. discipline was required to do the same. We were typically asked to sign a sheet stating all of our professional and private connections to any company submitting a bid.

We were given six weeks or so to review the volume of submittals. Our recommendations were submitted to the contracting office. They in turn invited those who made the cut to resubmit their bid for services. And we did the process again. Finally it would boiled down to only those few corporations could best meet the requirements of the SOW Bid Package for the least amount of money. The entire process would take up to 24 months before the contract was awarded.

Typically, all services that the contractor would have to subcontract had to specified and those firms had to be identified. Procedures were specified in accordance within the FAR for the substitution of firms should the subs no be able to fulfill the contract.

The entire Dubai World contract fiasco will take time to clarify. If this is the case of an 8A Ports Services Contractor offering the contract to Dubai World, then it is out of our hands. Look for the Democrats to drop this because it will come down to "nothing illegal". The Democrats and the Republicans up for reelection are going to make political hay out of this while they can.

From this myopic "late middle-aged" pessimist, I would be surprised to see anything out of this except the 8A contract holder possibly switching subcontractors.

HEY PECK ANY CLARIFICATION!