The U.S. government appears ready to soften its stance on humanitarian projects in the West Bank and Gaza -- projects that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) halted last year in a punitive response to Hamas' rise to power in Palestinian politics (TPR, March 27, 2006). According to a contracting document that The Peacock Report located via a routine search of the FedBizOpps database, USAID is amassing a list of potential engineering and consulting firms capable of carrying out various construction projects in the region.
While only U.S.-based companies can compete for future contracts, "eligible" local subcontractors from the West Bank and Gaza can be hired to provide support services to prime award winners, who will be tasked with carrying out studies, cost estimates, conceptual designs, and other planning activities related to:
[W]ater, storm water and wastewater collection, treatment, and reuse systems; water treatment, transmission and distribution systems; roads rehabilitation and construction, buildings construction, border crossings, security installations, environmental assessments and any other infrastructure related work.
It remains unclear whether last year's sewer and water project specifically will be restored. However, the new document indicates that "the minimum guaranteed amount for this contract is $3.0 million and the Ceiling Price for this contract is $30 million."
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