POGO questions IBWC decision to award a contract to build a sewage treatment plant in Mexico without full and open competition

Faxed to Mr. Gary Brown

City Manager, Imperial Beach

619-429-9770

International Boundary and Water Commission

United States Section

4171 North Mesa, Suite C-I00

El Paso, TX 79902-1441

Subject: IBWC Public Meeting - Bajagua Project

Imperial Beach Community Room

Imperial Beach, CA 91932

To whom it may concern:

The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is strongly opposed to the International Boundary and Water Commission's (IBWC's) attempt to award a contract without full and open competition.

In recent years I have witnessed the increased use of noncompetitive contracts. Some experts have estimated that nearly 70 percent of contracts are awarded without competition. Government data shows that nearly 50 percent of the $300 billion it spent for contracts in fiscal year 2004 was noncompetitive.

IBWC's move to grant Bajagua LLC a sole source contract is not in the best interest of Southern California or the American taxpayer. In fact, sole source contract awards limit aggressive negotiations, prohibit innovation, and result in increased costs. POGO urges the IBWC to conduct an open competition to ensure that the government is getting the best value for the services it is seeking and restore the public's faith in the federal government's contracting system.

POGO investigates, exposes, and seeks to remedy systemic abuses of power, mismanagement, and subservience by the federal government to powerful special interests. Founded in 1981, POGO is a politically-independent, nonprofit watchdog that strives to promote a government that is accountable to the citizenry.

Sincerely,

Scott Amey

General Counsel

[email protected]