LESSONS FROM DISASTER: IMPROVING EMERGENCY RESPONSE THROUGH GREATER COORDINATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL RESPONSE EFFORTS

ABSTRACT

This paper considers the many flaws of the current emergency response landscape in the United States through the lens of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. It suggests an intentional move towards better coordinated efforts between federal, state, and local governments to achieve a more effective and efficient process for reacting to the inevitable disasters of the future. This can be done through a reconsideration of already existing federal procurement programs that allow for state and local governments to order independently, such as the General Services Administration's Cooperative and Disaster Purchasing programs and the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Advanced Contract program. This Note recommends creating a specialized schedule contract for emergency purchasing under the General Services Administration's Cooperative Purchasing program. By pre-negotiating contracts for goods and supplies needed across emergencies, the expertise of federal, state, and local governments can be employed to present a fuller and more cohesive emergency response structure.