Rep. Jo Ann Emerson Addresses USGS Director “in the strongest possible terms”

An article in the Rolla Daily News offers up the story, but the letter itself (pdf) makes it clear Representative Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri will not be standing by as the A-76 process to choose a Geospatial Technical Operations Center (NGTOC) continues. (Denver was selected, then the process found flawed, then an A-76 to pit Denver, Rolla and the private sector in competition began.)

The letter dated May 8 (Tuesday) to USGS Director Mark Myers makes two key points and requests a meeting as soon as possible. The two points:

(1) The cost criteria of the A-76 does not follow current law. Current law requires that cost be at least 1/2 the consideration. However, the scope of work states that “costs of facilities and equipment shall be considered equal for all bidders.” Emerson urges Meyers in “the strongest possible terms” to either revamp the A-76 to take true costs into consideration (which would mean further delays) or simply drop the A-76 and put both Rolla and Denver back to work. She notes too that litigation around this issue could cost lots of tax dollars.

(2) Mr. Bob Doyle, a Meyers appontee will make the final decision on who “wins” the A-76. Doyle has already made clear his preference for Denver. Emerson states he’s not really impartial. Those invovled in the previous decision were not be involved in the A-76; I’m not sure of Doyle’s role, if any, in previous discussions about the NGTOC.