March 13, 2003	Thursday	Muharram 9, 1424

CAIRO, March 12: The United States has apparently awarded its first contract to help rebuild Iraq after an anticipated attack, the authoritative Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) said on Wednesday.

“What appears to be the first contract awarded in the US Agency for International Development (USAID) post-crisis Iraq reconstruction programme has been won by International Resources Group (IRG), a Washington-based consulting firm,” said the London-based weekly in its electronic newsletter received here.

“The 7.1 million-dollar, 12-month contract is for personnel support which includes funding for USAID Asia et Near East Bureau staffing related to Iraq, as well as for a potential USAID project office in Iraq.”

“The contract was awarded on February 21 and was one of eight requests for proposals issued by USAID in the programme on 31 January,” it said. —AFP