Harris has been awarded a one-year, $96 million contract to upgrade an aging media network in Iraq.
The contract was awarded by The Defense Contracting Command-Washington (DCC-W), on behalf of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) currently governing the country. It calls for Harris to supply equipment and engineering expertise to rebuild The Iraqi Media Network (IMN) that is responsible for national radio and television networks and a national newspaper (Al Sabah), with operating locations in Baghdad and more than 30 other locations throughout the country.
Two additional six-month contract options could increase the total value of the program to nearly $165 million, Harris said.
Harris’ Broadcast Communications and Government Communications Systems Divisions will work on the project, providing all of the necessary transmitters, integration and automation broadcast equipment--with support from two local organizations: The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI), a premier Middle Eastern media network, and Al Fawares, a Kuwaiti company with Iraqi ownership.
LBCI is responsible for training and content programming for the two radio channels and two television channels - one for news and one for entertainment. All four channels will be terrestrial and the all-news television channel will additionally be available by satellite. Al Fawares will assist in expanding the newspaper into national status based on the company's experience with Al Watan in Kuwait, and also will provide security, logistics and construction services.
In July 2003, Harris opened an Iraq Initiatives Office, headed by Managing Director Youssef (Joe) Sleiman. Initial efforts there helped determine what was needed and incorporated the products, capabilities, and resources of the company's five communications businesses.
For more information visit www.harris.com.
