The United States has awarded a Washington-based consulting firm its first contract to help rebuild Iraq after an anticipated war, the Middle East Economic Digest (MEED) reported. "What appears to be the first contract awarded in the US Agency for International Development (USAID) post-crisis Iraq reconstruction programme has been won by International Resources Group (IRG), a Washington-based consulting firm," said the London-based weekly in its electronic newsletter received here. "The USD7.1m, 12-month contract is for personnel support which includes funding for USAID Asia & Near East Bureau staffing related to Iraq, as well as for a potential USAID project office in Iraq." "The contract was awarded on February 21 and was one of eight requests for proposals issued by USAID in the programme on 31 January," it said. //www.fxcentre.com