Hawk One security tries to remake its marred image
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
August 9, 2009
The security company charged with guarding D.C. government buildings and public schools is looking to retool its marred image in the hopes of heading off the loss of its lucrative District contract.
Hawk One has not been formally told by the city that it is out, company officials said. But Mayor Adrian Fenty already has forwarded the first of several contracts for citywide security services to the D.C. Council for approval, and Hawk One is not the winner.
The D.C. company, which oversees roughly 800 guards posted in D.C. schools and buildings, is protesting the Fenty administration’s decision to declare its contract bid “nonresponsive” and exclude it from the competition. That protest is before the Contract Appeals Board.
Hawk One’s proposal for citywide security came in roughly $40 million higher than the lowest bidder. Richard Walker, the company’s contracts compliance officer, said the invitation for bids was not clear and led to the divergent proposals.
Sean Madigan, a Fenty spokesman, said the city would not comment because the award is under protest. Ward 6 D.C. Councilman Tommy Wells, a former school board member, said he wanted to consider hiring security officers as employees of the city government, rather than as private contractors.
Either way, the District is moving to evict Hawk One.
Walker said the public was unaware of the “many positive things that our officers have done.” The company’s contract with the District bars the company from talking to the media, he said.
“We’ve tried to play fair and we’ve tried to play according to the rules,” Walker said. “Holding back and playing by the rules has not benefited us.”
The company has not, until now, responded to reports of Hawk One officers struggling to bring order, committing serious crimes, fraternizing with students, failing to spot weapons or failing to effectively screen visitors.
People do not know that the Metropolitan Police Department performs background checks on guard applicants, Walker said, or that Anacostia High School Principal Rodney McBride praised Hawk One officers for reacting “commendably and calmly” to a melee there in November.
Walker had a response for every criticism. The goal now, he said, is to spread the word.
“Hawk One up until this point has not been helpful in getting them to have a different opinion,” he said.
