Posted on 09/24/2003 3:11:17 PM PDT by Pikamax
Date posted: 22.09.2003.
Reconstruction contracts Business centre gateway to tenders By Ali B. AL-Shouk
BAGHDAD - The Baghdad Business Centre (BC) is responsible for providing information of Iraqi subcontractors to the Coalition, Bechtel and Kellog Brown and Root (KBR) for participation in the reconstruction of the country.
"We met the Iraqi businessmen and the Iraqi companies every day from 9 to 12 in the morning and took their information to compile in a database. The BC is like an information source and it's an important link between businessmen and CPA, KBR and Bechtel, "explained Specialist Varetta Barnes, assistant director of the BC, which is located in the Convention Centre near the Rashid hotel.
Barnes added that they also help match Iraqi companies to tenders. James Sosnicky, director and founder of the BC four months ago, receives tender details by email and then puts the information into the database, which includes 1360 companies. A recent tender, worth $944 million, involves supplying schools with air conditioners, freezers, computers and uniforms.
"Any company that wants to win a contract must first give us the information and specify the tender," Barnes said. "We give Iraqis an 85% advantage. We want to encourage Iraqi businessmen to rebuild their own country again," she added.
The BC has had to contend with complaints and accusations that the tender process is not fair and equal. Barnes denies these allegations.
"Some people who come to BC saying that there is a company in Baghdad that has two or three contracts, while they don't have one. This is impossible. We only allow companies to have one contract each. We must ensure that no company has more than one contract and if that did happen, we have to resolve it," Barnes insisted.
The BC also handles communication and information problems between Iraqi businessmen and CPA, KBR and Bechtel. The centre is the point of contact for the Iraqi company. Another responsibility given to the BC, is co-operation with the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The BC gives them information about Iraqi companies that received tenders and this information is useful for USAID because this agency is the primary agency that grants contracts.
The BC have created a programme for young businessmen to help them set up their own business in Iraq. It plans to give young entrepreneurs loans to complete projects to give them confidence to go and do similar things on their own. Specialist Barnes is very happy with the scheme and believes it will help Iraq progress.
"We see that there are many businessmen and businesswomen aged over 35, but what about the young? Don't they have a chance? We ask the young businessmen and women to create their own work by opening their minds and developing work programmes," she said
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.