Global Policy Forum

Massachusetts Firm Wins Contract for Iraq's Health System

Print

By Jackie Spinner

Washington Post
May 1, 2003
The U.S. Agency for International Development announced yesterday that it awarded a contract worth up to $43.8 million to strengthen Iraq's public health system to Abt Associates Inc., a large Massachusetts-based research and consulting firm. Under the one-year contract, which has an initial value of $10 million, Abt will work with Iraq's health ministry to recruit trained medical staff, supply health facilities and make advanced medical and surgical care available in at least one hospital in 21 cities.

Executives at Abt could not be reached for comment last night, and a spokesman for the company did not return several telephone calls. USAID has now awarded seven of the eight initial rebuilding contracts that are part of the $2.5 billion Congress approved this month for Iraqi humanitarian aid and reconstruction. An airport administration contract has yet to be awarded. USAID said three additional contracts for economic governance, agriculture, and contract evaluation and monitoring will also be awarded.


As it has done with the initial Iraqi contracts, the agency limited the companies that could compete for the public health contract under an exemption in its regulations that allows it to bypass open bidding when foreign aid programs would be impaired. It used the same process to award contracts in Afghanistan and Bosnia. Some members of Congress have complained about the limited-bidding, and a bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation requiring the agency to explain its actions. The agency's inspector general is reviewing the contracts and the procurement process.

Abt Associates, which has offices in the District and Bethesda, has long advised the government on social and health policy. According to its Web site, the company has more than 1,000 employees and had revenue of $184 million in its 2002 fiscal year. In 1999, the company agreed to pay the U.S. government $1.9 million in interest to settle claims it collected money from dozens of federal agencies to pay subcontractors, before actually paying subcontractors, a violation of federal rules. Abt Associates did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement.


More Articles on the War Against Iraq
More Information on Iraq

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.


 

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.