When President Trump decided to paint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue, he reportedly laid the groundwork to award a $6.9 million no-bid contract to someone he said worked on his swimming pools.
The Trump administration invoked an exemption intended for urgent situations to prevent “serious injury, financial or other, to the government,” The New York Times reported Friday.
Work on the Lincoln pool includes fixing leaks, reinforcing structural joints and resurfacing the basin with an industrial-grade coating.
Mr. Trump said the renovation aims to revamp the gray look of the pool’s concrete bottom, repainting it a vibrant “American flag blue” to “beautify” D.C. ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday in July.
“This project is now being completed at ‘Trump speed’ to ensure the iconic landmark is totally restored ahead of the 250th celebrations,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to The Washington Times.
The NYT reported that on April 3, the pool repair job was given to Atlantic Industrial Coatings, which reportedly never previously held a federal contract.
“I have a guy who’s unbelievable at doing swimming pools,” Mr. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office in late April. “He looked at it. He called me up. He said, ‘Sir, we can do something on it.’”
At the same time, the president said he consulted three companies that upgraded his private pools to find a “good price” to work on the Lincoln project. The one he chose had improved his Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.
Federal agencies are generally required by law to use “full and open competition” for contracts, soliciting multiple bids to ensure best value, lower costs and fair opportunities. Exceptions include sole-source availability, urgent needs, national security and public interest.
The National Park Service reportedly said the Lincoln pool repairs were too urgent to take time gathering other bids.
Some officials predict that the repairs will hold up for seven to 10 years and not address the pool’s faulty plumbing in its filtration system, the NYT reported.
While Mr. Trump originally touted a $1.8 million price tag to repaint the pool, the government has reportedly agreed to pay the company $6.9 million, according to the NYT. The National Park Service’s internal estimates point to a potential $12 million cost, and at least part of the work would be paid for by national park guest fees.
