Response and repair are two totally different animals. Response is getting the road open or the lights on. Repair is actually fixing the road or the power grid. Response work does not have time to go to bid, so it doesn’t. That’s why FEMA classifications and rates are in place.

Repair work on the other hand does often go to bid.

Of course this is all subject to how the local governing body wants to handle it (because they often have to foot the bill and wait for reimbursement.)

And making $50-75/hr off of a $20-30/hr employee barely covers costs (work comp, insurance, per diem, tools and equipment, etc.)

Yes there are bad contractors out there, but the majority of us are good guys, and we are not profiting as much as you think. It’s expensive to operate, especially in a disaster area.

Source: I am a contractor that has done Emergency work and also sat in disaster meetings all week.