RELYANT Secures $49 Million Contract to Remove Land Mines, Unexploded Ordnance in Afghanistan

MARYVILLE, Tenn., June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- RELYANT, LLC, a Maryville-based company providing worldwide strategic support services, has received notification of award for a $49 million contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Afghanistan Engineering South District. RELYANT will provide unexploded ordnance (UXO) removal and mine clearance in southern and western Afghanistan.

The company anticipates adding up to 200 new employees at its facilities in Afghanistan and Maryville. The five-month contract competition began in January. The contract has two, one-year option periods that can be exercised after the one-year base period.

RELYANT's proposal efforts were led by the company's Explosive Ordnance Disposal expert, Terry Collins, who has a 20-year background in the UXO industry. Other factors attributed by the company to this success are their current presence in Afghanistan and understanding of the challenges faced when working in country.  RELYANT has employees located on several of the operating bases that give them flexibility in-country.

According to estimates from the United Nations, Afghanistan is littered with more than 10 million land mines and other UXO, many of which date to the 1980s Soviet conflict. Since 2001, more than 5,000 citizens have been killed or wounded by UXO in Afghanistan, according to Millennium Development Goals, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Country Report 2005.

UXO puts Afghan citizens and coalition forces at risk. Hazards can be encountered during efforts to improve water, transportation and other basic infrastructure to citizens, during construction of new structures such as schools, hospitals and other public facilities, or during delivery of goods, services and fuel to Coalition Force bases. RELYANT's work under this contract will provide a safer environment for all stakeholders in the ongoing efforts to stabilize and rebuild the country.

Other services provided by RELYANT in Afghanistan include application of spray foam insulation to housing, Third Country National Escort, vehicle maintenance construction, life support, and convoy and secure trucking.

RELYANT is a global "turn-key" provider of solutions to complex projects. The company offers services including construction, life support, demining, logistics/procurement, security, and IT communications. RELYANT is headquartered in Maryville with offices in San Antonio, Iraq, Afghanistan and Uganda.  www.gorelyant.com

SOURCE RELYANT, LLC