up, up, and away

Announcement today from the USAID that SkyLink Air & Logistics has been awarded the contract for administering three airports in Iraq. The airports are Baghdad, Basra and Mosul. SkyLink's Canadian subsidiary handled humanitarian air drops for the International Rescue Committee in Kosovo. They have a lot of experience moving stuff around.

Essentially, SkyLink is in the business of getting people and cargo where they need to go on time, on budget and safely. Whether SkyLink is leasing a helicopter in Africa for food distribution and relief programs, or chartering the world's largest aircraft (AN124) to move oil rigs to remote sites around the world, SkyLink has always excelled

Oil rigs? Now why would there possibly be a need for that kind of humanitarian assistance in Iraq?

Company SkyLink Air & Logistic Support, Incorporated (USA)
Subcontractor Patrick Corporation (Australia)
Award $2.5 million
Agency USAID
Date of RFP February 19, 2003
Pre-planning
Date of Award May 5, 2003
Nature of work Airport Administration. Management of humanitarian and trans-shipment operations by air. Airport Director for each airport (minimum of 5 airports) is required to be American citizen.
Reference

The contract is expected to reach upwards of $10.2 million. Subcontractor Patrick Corporation will be doing the initial assessment. Bet the recent timely meeting between President Bush and Australian Prime Minister Howard didn't hurt. Howard even got invited to the Crawford Ranch, which is apparently an honor, though the press seem to feel otherwise. During the Kosovo relief effort, the cost of the operation was estimated at $1 million a month. Expect the contract to total at a fairly high number when all is said and done.