Officials from four U.S. construction firms are conducting site visits in Iraq and finalizing the logistics to begin work on four separate rebuilding projects, worth $150.7 million, just a week after the task orders were awarded by the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, a Pentagon spokesman in Baghdad says.

On Jan. 22 the Air Force said that Parsons Infrastructure and Technology Group, Pasadena, Calif., would oversee an $28.3-million award to renovate the Tadji Military Base and Iraqi Armed Forces recruiting stations. According to the Pentagon’s Baghdad-based program management office which is overseeing $18.6 billion in reconstruction, the Tadji project includes building renovations, renovation and reconstruction of medical facilities, wastewater treatment plant repair and installation of sewage lines. The recruiting stations are at Al Hillah, Kirkuk and Baqcuba. The project is expected to be completed in June.

“This project is among the first four in a long line of construction we’ll manage,” says retired Adm. David J. Nash, the PMO director. The task orders were awarded under existing contracts and not part of the RFPs recently issued by the PMO, explains a PMO spokesman in Baghdad. But the funds for the task orders will come from the $18.6 billion in reconstruction funds managed by PMO.

Long Beach, Calif.-based Earth Tech, Inc. won a $65.4-million contract to rebuild the An Numiniyah military base for the Iraqi armed forces. The project includes renovation of existing buildings and infrastructure on the base and construction of new facilities to support operations and training. Work will also be performed on the water supply, wastewater treatment and power service at the base. The project is expected to be completed in April.

Additionally, Shaw Environmental, Inc., Baton Rouge, was given an $46.7-million award to renovate the Al Kasik Army Base for the Iraqi Armed Forces. The work includes renovation of existing facilities and infrastructure and construction of new facilities to support operations and training. Under the task order, work will also be performed on the water distribution, sanitary sewage, wastewater treatment and electrical distribution systems at the base which is located in the northern part of Iraq, west of Mosul. A mid-May completion date is expected.

Weston Solutions, Inc., West Chester, Pa., won a $10.3-million award to renovate the Umm Qasr Naval Base by the end of May. The project includes building renovations, construction of electrical, water and sanitary sewage systems, security improvements, dock repair and dredging.

The PMO spokesman noted that all of the U.S. firms are meeting with potential Iraqi subcontractors and are expected to hire a number of firms and workers.