George Christopher Zoley
Executive Chairman, The GEO Group, Inc.
To our understanding,
theres been a significant ramp up in the census of those in detention facilities. I think the first half of the fiscal year, which just ended last month, there was an intent for budgetary reasons to keep the bed count at a lower level in
line with the original budget. And now that the recent refunding of the agency at a higher level of 41,500 beds, is allowing them to now step up their count in their ICE facilities around the country.
Joe Gomes
Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Okay. Thanks for that. And then on the Marshals, you got a nice increase in the number of people in Marshals. I was wondering, what is driving that? Is that a
reflection of the courts getting back to a more normal operating environment or some of these, weve seen in the past, locals, localities are refusing to hold on to some of the detainees these days. Just trying to figure out whats driving
the increase in the Marshals populations?
George Christopher Zoley
Executive Chairman, The GEO Group, Inc.
Its probably a
combination of both of those things. The reluctance of local governments to be dealing with providing extra beds to federal agencies versus having a need for those beds themselves or for political purposes of not wanting to participate in such a
federal program, but also the need to expand their the number of beds as they did have a decrease in bed capacity under this administration, at the outset of the administration here.
Joe Gomes
Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Okay. Pardon me. And you guys kind of mentioned it from the bigger, the 10,000 foot level, but I dont know if theres any more detail you can
provide about kind of some of the new business opportunities, especially on the state and local level, that youre kind of pursuing it at this point?
George Christopher Zoley
Executive Chairman, The GEO
Group, Inc.
We really dont discuss any marketing opportunities unless there are public procurements that, we obviously would have a responsibility
to react to. But at this time, there are no public procurements that we can comment on.
Joe Gomes
Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Okay. Just generally, I
guess then are, are you seeing more opportunities on a state and local level than you had historically or is that more flat there or maybe if you could just characterize it that way?
George Christopher Zoley
Executive Chairman, The GEO
Group, Inc.
Its somewhat flat with some of our clients, but were seeing other clients asking for beds at a smaller scale than we would
prefer. And, we havent jumped at those opportunities because, we, our facilities are generally large. I would say 1,000 beds and above. And its we are keeping those facilities in reserve for larger governmental users.
Joe Gomes
Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Okay. And then one more for me and Ill jump back in line. This is kind of more hypothetical, George. But as we all know, when the current administration
came in and they ended basically the contracts with the BOP. If there was a change in administration and they were more favorable to contracts with the BOP, looking at the BOP populations theyve risen about by about 10,000 people since three
years ago. Do you think, again, this is hypothetical, that the BOP would still look upon favorably if they needed space of coming to you or given whats happened in the past couple of years, do you think they would be more reluctant to
reestablish contracts with firms like the privates [indiscernible] (00:41:42) sector?
George Christopher Zoley
Executive Chairman, The GEO Group, Inc.
Well, using past
experience as a guide in, under the previous administration, there was a reversal of the prohibition in using the private sectors for BOP contracting. So, we would think thats a distinct possibility that the BOP facilities would once again be
contracted to private sector entities like ourselves. And there was a similar impact under this administration regarding some Marshals facilities that were direct contracts that were discontinued. I would think there would be a similar
attitude if there is a new administration that would very possibly have a desire to reestablish those contracts with the Marshal services as well as the BOP.