ANC contracting takes a hit

Alaska Native and tribally owned companies are seeing their contract dollars shrink. What's behind the drop?

Alaska Native Corporations and tribally owned companies are seeing a steep drop in contract dollars so far in 2012,according to a Federal Times report. 

The value of contracts dropped from $4.4 billion in 2011 to $1.8 billion so far in 2012. The amount of sole-source, or non-competed contracts fell from $2.5 billion in 2011 to $587 million so far in 2012, Staff Writer Sarah Chacko wrote.

The report ties the drop in contracts to new rules pushed by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) that agencies justify sole-source contracts worth more than $20 million.