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SAN FRANCISCO - The Bechtel Corp. has said it will employ 25,000 Iraqis, mostly through subcontractors, for infrastructure projects throughout the war-ravaged Middle Eastern country.

Last April, Bechtel won a contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) worth up to $680 million over 18 months as part of the US-led effort to rebuild critical infrastructure throughout Iraq.
 
The company has said it plans to subcontract at least half of its work to Iraqi firms and that of 49 contracts awarded so far, 18 have gone to Iraqi companies.
 
Bechtel has also contracted with several US and British companies including Lockheed Martin Corp.; Motorola Inc.; and London-based Olive Security, for work in Iraq.
 
The San Francisco-based company's projects in Iraq include repairing 28 water facilities and nine sewage plants.

Bechtel is also repairing a fresh-water canal, 1,300 schools and clinics, and the international airports in both Baghdad and Basra.

In addition, the company is repairing a seaport and upgrading Iraq's telephone and electrical systems.

Last month, Bechtel completed its first project in Iraq, a 1.86-mile, four-lane bridge bypass on a major highway in the western part of the country. The bypass was largely finished by Al-Bunnia Trading Co. of Baghdad, a Bechtel subcontractor, the company said.

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