House wants smallpox contract documents

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- A U.S. House committee says it wants more details on the award by the Obama administration of a $433 million contract for an experimental smallpox drug.

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and three of his Republican colleagues have asked for documents related to the awarding of the sole-source contract to Siga Technologies Inc., based in New York City.

Siga's controlling shareholder is Ronald O. Perelman, a longtime Democratic Party donor, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The congressional letter sent Tuesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius requested information on the actions taken by Dr. Nicole Lurie, a presidential appointee who heads bio-defense planning under Sebelius

The committee letter asks for records of discussions Lurie had regarding the procurement, or about smallpox in general, with Sebelius and unspecified White House officials.

The letter also asked Sebelius to "include all documentation and communications discussing how this contract would eventually be valued at $433 million."

Health and Human Services had first awarded the contract to Siga in October 2010 but dropped the small-business requirement after the company was found to be too big to qualify.

In February of this year, officials prevented further competition by seeking a proposal for the contract only from Siga, the Times reported.

Lurie has said the contract was awarded based strictly on merit.