FEMA turns to General Dynamics IT for post-Florence call center support

The Federal Emergency Management Agency asks General Dynamics’ IT services business to hire call center agents on short notice post-Hurricane Florence.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is turning to General Dynamics’ IT services business for call center support on short notice in the wake of Hurricane Florence -- almost a carbon copy of when FEMA asked CSRA for the same type of help last year.

FEMA on Sept. 16 awarded a potential six-month, $263.5 million task order to GDIT for 2,000 temporary call agents in support of the response to Florence, according to a FEMA award notice. The contract has an initial two-month, $87.8 million base term that reflects its short-term nature given how recently Florence battered the Carolinas and the fluid situation.

GDIT officials declined WT’s request for comment.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey’s Gulf Coast landfall last year, FEMA awarded CSRA a potential $95 million task order for call center services out of its Bossier City, Louisiana hub. CSRA -- which GD acquired in April -- was tasked to hire 1,500 call agents for that order that covered work for up to five months.

FEMA issued the Florence call center order against the General Services Administration’s Connections 2 contract vehicle for telecommunications network infrastructure.