Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, has asked The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the Obama administration?s award of a $443 million sole-source contract to a company owned by a major Democratic donor.
The Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month that the Obama administration has taken unusual steps to procure an experimental smallpox vaccine from a company owned by a major Democratic donor despite concerns from some experts that such a drug was unnecessary and would not be effective.
Citing ?serious questions? about the contract, the Los Angeles Times reported that McCaskill has asked the inspector general of HHS to investigate. McCaskill is the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Contracting and Oversight.
The New York-based Siga Technologies was awarded a contract in May to deliver 1.7 million doses of an antiviral pill called ST-246. It was the only company asked to submit a proposal, and the price tag of $255 a dose is well above what government specialists said was reasonable. When a contracting specialists at HHS was resistant to pay so much, the company complained and the lead negotiator was replaced.
Ronald Perelman, a billionaire and longtime Democratic Party donor, owns Siga Technologies. After the government put a renewed emphasis on protecting the nation from chemical and biological attacks in the wake of September 11, 2001, Perelman bought a controlling stake in Siga through his holding company.........<SNIP>
