New Fields Exhibitions President Samir Farajallah welcomed the recent reconstruction developments in Iraq and emphasized their significance for the ReBUILDING IRAQ Conference in Arlington, Virginia that will be held between August 28-29.
"When we initiated this conference, we invited leaders from politics, business, and companies which have been awarded contracts to create a platform for the reconstruction and relief effort in Iraq. We never imagined when we were planning our Forum that it would become so central to the current reconstruction of Iraq," said Farajallah.
"In recent weeks, a number of Iraqi consortiums founded by Iraqi expatriates whom are encouraged by the regime change and who are now free to go back to the country they fled once, hoping for a role in the rebuilding and relief effort in Iraq" he said.
Farajallah confirmed that quite number of leading Iraqi and other regional companies have registered to attend the conference in addition to companies from the US. In addition, the new Middle East Partnership which has been highlighted last May by president Bush to Promote economic opportunity in the region has intensified the interest of American companies in Iraq.
Rebuilding and relief effort in Iraq presents billions in contracting opportunities. It is estimated that nonmilitary rebuilding costs could near $500 billion. Subcontracting opportunities will be substantial. The Capital Construction Solicitation provides that 10 percent of the work must be performed by the contractor's own staff.
The US Agency for International Development evaluation scheme for selecting prime contractors provide for evaluation credit for bidders who make a substantial effort to include small business, disadvantaged small business, women-owned business, and historically underutilized business zone companies in their contracting teams.
Foreign firms could bid on subcontracts for US funded reconstruction projects in Iraq. It is estimated that some 50 percent of US reconstruction funds could go to foreign subcontractors. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
