
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, March 12, 1991                   TAG: 9103120059
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From staff and wire reports
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

SMALL FIRMS TO SHARE IN REBUILDING OF KUWAIT/ SPECIALTY COMPANIES CAN EXPECT

Small companies specializing in tasks such as fighting oil fires and making electrical repairs will work alongside America's corporate giants in rebuilding Kuwait, lawmakers and government officials said Monday.

"Without question there are opportunities, and it's just a question of our businesses knocking on the right doors," said Rep. Norman Sisisky, D-Va., chairman of a House Small Business subcommittee. "Clearly, American businesses will be playing a major role in rebuilding Kuwait."

The reconstruction effort could cost as much as $100 billion. Kuwait is expected to finance it from oil revenues and foreign investments.

The Kuwaitis already have awarded nearly 300 contracts totaling $500 million, 70 percent of them to American companies.

Among the major U.S. companies involved are Bechtel Group Inc., American Telephone & Telegraph Co., Caterpillar Inc., International Business Machines Inc., Motorola Inc. and Raytheon Co.

But a host of smaller companies, such as oil field specialists, also should benefit from what could become the largest rebuilding effort since the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War II.

The hundreds of Roanoke area callers seeking information about jobs in Kuwait should register with the Virginia Employment Commission, said local and federal officials. The U.S. Labor Department is creating an interstate bank of applicants for the jobs, based on registrations at VEC offices.

Marjorie Skidmore, job service manager for the Roanoke VEC office, said she expects jobs to be limited to specific skills such as welding or boilermaking. Most subcontractors already have the workers they need, she said. She expects a list of employers for Kuwait projects to be available in her office.

Fran Stephanz of the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia warned against paying for job information via 900-prefix toll-telephone calls and books; the same information is available without charge at the VEC, she said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has a $46 million contract to oversee engineering work and damage assessment, is screening interested design and engineering firms. The Corps set a Friday deadline for companies to apply for inclusion on a list that will be provided to the Kuwaiti government.

A Commerce Department official told Sisisky's panel on exports, tax policy and special problems that the rebuilding of Kuwait has potential for U.S. companies of all sizes, types and experience.

"We intend to give aggressive assistance to U.S. firms interested in these opportunities," said Thomas J. Duesterberg, assistant secretary for international economic policy.

by CNB