After several delays, the Dept. of Defense on Jan. 7 rolled out requests for proposals for the next phase of Iraqi reconstruction contracts. The RFPs, put together over several months with extensive input from the Coalition Provision Authority in Iraq, will cover the first $5 million of an estimated $18.6 billion expected to be awarded by the U.S. in fiscal 2004. The first round of awards under this solicitation is expected to be announced in early March.

The solicitation, to administered by retired U.S. Navy Admiral David Nash's Pentagon Management Office under the Pentagon Renovation Center, covers work in the following sectors covered: electricity, public works, water, security and justice facilities, transportation and communications infrastructure, government buildings, schools and medical facilities. It comes on the heels of the $1.82-billion U.S. Agency for International Development reconstruction award to Bechtel National Inc., announced Jan. 6. The contracts will be for a two-year base period with three one-year options.

The solicitation, available online at www.rebuilding-iraq.net, will be divided into sectors among 10 design-build, indefinite-delivery/indefinite quantity construction contracts, divided by discipline or by region. The organization is designed to mesh with the configuration of Iraq's provisional government ministries. Electrical work, for example, will be broken out into three $500 million segments: new power generation and rehabilitation work nationwide, as well as separate transmission and distribution assignments for the northern and southern tiers. Public works is also split into northern and southern regions.

A top-tier contractor will report to the CPA and Iraqi Governing Council and manage seven support contracts. The top oversight contractor will be ineligible to compete for the support contracts. Contracts will be awarded based on cost, technical merit, experience, management approach, which includes subcontracting.