Texas nonprofit lands no-bid border contract after hiring Biden transition team member: report

A Texas nonprofit that recently hired a Biden transition team official landed a no-bid contract to help with the influx of migrant children at the border, Axios reported.

The contract is worth $530 million and is the largest contract awarded to the nonprofit Family Endeavors. The contract is worth 12 times more than the group’s annual budget, according to Axios. 

The Biden official involved with Family Endeavors is Andrew Lorenzen-Strait, a former official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. During the presidential transition, Lorenzen-Strait advised the Biden-Harris team on Department of Homeland Security policy and staffing matters, the report stated. 

The crisis has emerged as one of the biggest early challenges for the new administration as waves of immigrants escaping poverty and insecurity in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras travel to the border. 

It as led to thousands of unaccompanied minors being taken into U.S. custody. 

The government contacted Family Endeavors last month to provide “emergency intake” services and “wrap-around care” services in a temporary facility holding migrants, Axios reported. Family Endeavors has never before received a contract from the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Axios reported that Lorenzen-Strait has previously run a consulting firm that advised companies on government procurement and that his LinkedIn page highlighted his experience with parts of the government dealing with child migrants: the Administration for Children and Families.