In January, the Trump administration awarded Clark Construction a no-bid contract for repairing two ornamental fountains in Lafayette Park, across from the White House, at a cost of $17.4 million. This amount is significantly higher than the $3.3 million estimated by the Biden administration. The National Park Service justified the no-bid contract by citing an 'urgency' exception, typically reserved for emergencies, despite experts arguing that the project did not meet such criteria. The Park Service's decision to increase the contract price multiple times raised further concerns about transparency and competition, as federal law generally mandates seeking competitive bids. This contract was not disclosed in public databases, violating typical reporting requirements. Clark Construction, which has a long history of federal contracts, was previously chosen by Trump for a major ballroom project at the White House, funded by private donations. The awarding of this contract has drawn scrutiny, with experts questioning the justification for bypassing competitive bidding processes.