The Bush administration says it will boost the number of contracts given to small and minority-ow... Bush administration pledge

The Bush administration says it will boost the number of contracts given to small and minority-owned businesses for Hurricane Katrina cleanup work, calling the amount now awarded too low.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it will set aside an allotment for disadvantaged businesses. The move follows last week's announcement that FEMA would rebid millions of dollars in contracts handed out with little or no competition.

The initial 100 million dollar contracts to be rebid were given to four major construction firms -- Shaw Group, Bechtel Corporation, C-H-2-M Hill and Fluor Corporation -- which had prior relationships with the government.

The Commerce Department, meanwhile, has announced a new information center and Web site to help smaller, disadvantaged firms get information about how to competitively bid for Katrina contracts.

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