What to do with $139,000..If Your Ryan Zinke You Spend it on Doors

[Knocker of rocks]

It's no bid contract without competition.

How can you tell that?

It says it under the additional info portion

"NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMPETITION"

Got it.   

[j_h_nimrod]

What most people don’t recognize is that the government (excluding true graft and big military) is crippled by public sector litigation that has led to the Government making policy to be as blameless as possible for any instance. The doors probably had a 10 page engineering spec so that if there was ever an 8.0 earthquake the frames would not warp and scare a visitor giving them PTSD resulting in a multi million dollar settlement. Then the IDIQ contractors take their huge cut to sub out the actual work at Davis Bacon wage. The agencies are not perfect, but between unions, worker protection laws, budgetary line item limits, litigation, historic site requirements, and policy (based on law) it is much more expensive for the govt. to conduct business than in the private sector. There are many projects like this that cost vastly more than they should. The govt. in general is treated as a social program to support the economy. 

I don’t know how to fix it and many other people on the ground level see the inequality of govt. vs. private sector projects. Rest assured that if someone wants a FOIA accounting of the costs of three doors then they can get it to analyze the full economic analysis of the project and there will likely be no i missing a dot or t missing its cross that anyone can make a case about. The cost of $139,000 for the doors seems stupid, but I am sure it is justifiable. This is certainly something needing addressed, but is not a quick fix.

On to Zinke’s travel. There is a big stink about him charging travel to a fire budget, I would bet dimes to dollars that he never knew anything about charging to that specific account. Budget is a whole different level from him and if he sets up his own travel and codes the budget account then he is working well below his level. He probably has a thousand different budgets he can code to and if it was determined to travel on a budget with funds from the overall DOI budget then that should be acceptable. Most of the budgets are fluid coming from the overall budget projections and can be apportioned as necessary.

[idahohuntr]

Stories like this are good for keeping bureaucrats wary and more careful in use of taxpayer funds...but I don't see any big issues here. 

The flag thing I believe is just part of his military background...I see a lot of SES flags put on display when senior civilians (much lower rank than a cabinet secretary) are present at government offices.  If a former SEAL and current Secretary wants a flag flown when he's in the building...put the damn flag up.    

[Knocker of rocks]

What most people don’t recognize is that the government (excluding true graft and big military) is crippled by public sector litigation that has led to the Government making policy to be as blameless as possible for any instance. The doors probably had a 10 page engineering spec so that if there was ever an 8.0 earthquake the frames would not warp and scare a visitor giving them PTSD resulting in a multi million dollar settlement. Then the IDIQ contractors take their huge cut to sub out the actual work at Davis Bacon wage. The agencies are not perfect, but between unions, worker protection laws, budgetary line item limits, litigation, historic site requirements, and policy (based on law) it is much more expensive for the govt. to conduct business than in the private sector. There are many projects like this that cost vastly more than they should. The govt. in general is treated as a social program to support the economy. 

I don’t know how to fix it and many other people on the ground level see the inequality of govt. vs. private sector projects. Rest assured that if someone wants a FOIA accounting of the costs of three doors then they can get it to analyze the full economic analysis of the project and there will likely be no i missing a dot or t missing its cross that anyone can make a case about. The cost of $139,000 for the doors seems stupid, but I am sure it is justifiable. This is certainly something needing addressed, but is not a quick fix.

On to Zinke’s travel. There is a big stink about him charging travel to a fire budget, I would bet dimes to dollars that he never knew anything about charging to that specific account. Budget is a whole different level from him and if he sets up his own travel and codes the budget account then he is working well below his level. He probably has a thousand different budgets he can code to and if it was determined to travel on a budget with funds from the overall DOI budget then that should be acceptable. Most of the budgets are fluid coming from the overall budget projections and can be apportioned as necessary.

I don't like Zinke or his DoI, but I think your analysis of the items you've listed is probably spot on.

[bigtex]

The flag thing I believe is just part of his military background...I see a lot of SES flags put on display when senior civilians (much lower rank than a cabinet secretary) are present at government offices.  If a former SEAL and current Secretary wants a flag flown when he's in the building...put the damn flag up.   

Really? Because I've never seen such a thing. Only a few positions actually have their own flag as it as.

[j_h_nimrod]

There are a lot of good traditions going by the wayside in this day, if Zinke wants to resurrect one then good for him.

bigtex - I have never spent much time in DC, but the little time I did spend there showed me it is a different place then the rest of the US and there are things there I have never seen in the 50 states

[idahohuntr]

The flag thing I believe is just part of his military background...I see a lot of SES flags put on display when senior civilians (much lower rank than a cabinet secretary) are present at government offices.  If a former SEAL and current Secretary wants a flag flown when he's in the building...put the damn flag up.   

Really? Because I've never seen such a thing. Only a few positions actually have their own flag as it as.

Yep...very common in DoD.  There is a flag for SES members...the same for every agency. 

[olyguy79]

There are a lot of good traditions going by the wayside in this day, if Zinke wants to resurrect one then good for him.

bigtex - I have never spent much time in DC, but the little time I did spend there showed me it is a different place then the rest of the US and there are things there I have never seen in the 50 states

If you're referring the SES flag thing, SES positions are nationwide not just in DC. And I agree with Bigtex, I've never heard of an SES or even higher wanting a flag flown when they're around.

[olyguy79]

The flag thing I believe is just part of his military background...I see a lot of SES flags put on display when senior civilians (much lower rank than a cabinet secretary) are present at government offices.  If a former SEAL and current Secretary wants a flag flown when he's in the building...put the damn flag up.   

Really? Because I've never seen such a thing. Only a few positions actually have their own flag as it as.

Yep...very common in DoD.  There is a flag for SES members...the same for every agency.

In DoD, makes sense. But not the civilian world.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Yep, in the works long before Zinke was put in charge!!  Some people jump before they read the whole story!!

It is also a "historical site" or better known as Hysterical Site!!  Which means it cost ten times the normal way of doing things!

They have to find the exact replacement wood, has to look exactly like the rest of the building etc etc!! Government contract so prevailing wage has to be met, all EPA regs are enforced, etc etc.

Oh ya, did we forget this in DC??

There is a USFS building on Mt. Baker that cost the taxpayers a whole LOT MORE then Zinke's doors and the Democrats didn't complain about that being a WASTE!!!

Funny what gets "people" going these days!!

Which building?

[j_h_nimrod]

There are a lot of good traditions going by the wayside in this day, if Zinke wants to resurrect one then good for him.

bigtex - I have never spent much time in DC, but the little time I did spend there showed me it is a different place then the rest of the US and there are things there I have never seen in the 50 states

I was referring to traditions in general, not SES flags. If there is a tradition a Secretary or someone else in a senior position that wants to resurrect or try and create then so be it. What is the issue with doing so?
If you're referring the SES flag thing, SES positions are nationwide not just in DC. And I agree with Bigtex, I've never heard of an SES or even higher wanting a flag flown when they're around.

[Calvin Rayborn]

Son of a...!!! 

[ctwiggs1]

I don’t know about the whole “blaming directors for mistakes of subordinates” thing.  I get that it happens, but I can honestly say that the direct actions of Obama’s cabinet members are what drove me to want them gone.m.  It wasn’t their subordinates.  It was their mishandling of weapons, classified data, racist-fueled investigations, miserable defense of the ACA, etc that made me dislike them.

I’m not a huge fan of Zinke but it is nice to see someone who looks at both sides.

The two biggest anti-Zinke guys on this thread worked in Olympia.  Can you imagine if the Capitol building needed any kind of Reno?  Their doors are all custom, oversized quarter sawn oak if i recall correctly.  That’s big money, especially if you’re in an urban environment.

[Russ McDonald]

Yep, in the works long before Zinke was put in charge!!  Some people jump before they read the whole story!!

It is also a "historical site" or better known as Hysterical Site!!  Which means it cost ten times the normal way of doing things!

They have to find the exact replacement wood, has to look exactly like the rest of the building etc etc!! Government contract so prevailing wage has to be met, all EPA regs are enforced, etc etc.

Oh ya, did we forget this in DC??

There is a USFS building on Mt. Baker that cost the taxpayers a whole LOT MORE then Zinke's doors and the Democrats didn't complain about that being a WASTE!!!

Funny what gets "people" going these days!!

Which building?

I was thinking more along the lines of which buildings?

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[davk]

The article you posted did a pretty good job of making your title look like a giant load.  My wife used to work for the state.  They were putting together a new conference room.  The same chairs they could buy for $20 at Costco were $200+ through the supplier they had to go through.  That along with this being a historical site ... spread em.