Forecasters predict busy hurricane season  By Mary Scott Nabers, CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

Regional Councils of Government are currently contemplating disaster-related issues. The Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) is the largest of 24 Councils of Government (COG) in Texas and will host a conference June 17 in Houston on "Storm Debris: Role of FEMA, State and Local Governments in Funding Debris Removal." There will also be a number of HGAC Cooperative Purchasing solicitations this summer, including a request for items that will be needed in the event of a hurricane, such as auxiliary power/backup generators.

Local governments must be able to purchase goods and services quickly and easily should a disaster occur. In emergency situations, expedited purchasing arrangements are often used. Experience has shown that a wide array of products and services are needed after a disaster - debris removal, technology and communications systems, food service, security, transportation, reconstruction and rehabilitation of damaged buildings and healthcare practitioners - to name a few.

The Governor's Division of Emergency Management coordinates the deployment of state resources to respond to major disasters and directs funding for recovery resources. It is important for vendors to establish a relationship and maintain communications with decision-makers who cover their geographic area of business. Vendors should also visit division and district Web sites of government entities to learn about specific projects and programs. Many Texas cities have Directors of Emergency Preparedness who can assist vendors in being listed as a service or product provider during emergencies or disasters.

Vendors new to contracting with the federal government should register with the appropriate entities, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) preferred vendor lists. FEMA uses the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) government-wide database, which can be found at http://www.ccr.gov/. Contractors also have the option to register at one of FEMA's Disaster Field Office locations. To identify procurement opportunities with the federal government, vendors should become familiar with FedBizOpps (www.fbo.gov).

Texans were fortunate to have a very mild hurricane season last year when no storms made landfall in the United States. However, National Weather Service forecasters recently predicted 13 to 17 tropical storms this year, with seven to 10 of them developing into hurricanes. The probability of above normal hurricane activity this season is 75 percent, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.