WASHINGTON — A company connected to a donor who has supported President Donald Trump received a no-bid federal contract for work on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., according to government records and reporting published on Friday. The contract, awarded by the National Park Service, was for installation of a water-purification system intended to address algae and water-quality problems at the landmark site.
The company, Greenwater Services, received a contract valued at about $1.7 million, according to reports citing federal contracting records. The firm is owned by John J. Cafaro, a businessman who has donated to Trump-related political committees, according to campaign finance records cited in reporting.
The National Park Service used a process that bypassed competitive bidding for the contract. Officials said the project was part of efforts to improve the reflecting pool ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations. Details about the agency’s justification for selecting the company remain under scrutiny, while the Interior Department has not publicly indicated that the award violated procurement rules.
The contract was part of a broader renovation effort at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, including separate work to change the appearance and address maintenance issues at the historic site. Reports said another contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, was involved in other renovation work connected to the project.
The reflecting pool project drew attention after algae returned following the renovation work, with the water becoming discolored and officials taking steps to address the issue. The National Park Service has worked to manage the problem, according to reports.
Critics of the contract questioned whether the government should have used a competitive process and raised concerns about the relationship between the contractor and a Trump donor. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal requested information about the contracts and said the public deserved more transparency regarding the use of government funds.
The Trump administration and supporters of the project have said the work was intended to improve a prominent national landmark and address long-standing maintenance issues. Officials have not said the contract award was based on political considerations.
As of Sunday, cleanup and maintenance efforts at the reflecting pool were continuing, according to reports. The National Park Service and relevant agencies had not announced further changes to the contract arrangements, and details of any additional review remained unclear.
