U.S. Air Force cleans up

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force picked engineering services company ARCADIS as a primary contractor for a $3 billion worldwide environmental remediation program.

The U.S. Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment picked ARCADIS for a five-year contract for environmental remediation and cleanup at Department of Defense sites across the globe, the company said.

Under the terms of the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, ARCADIS would conduct environmental services ranging from site cleanup to remediation of sites that include mostly U.S. air bases.

Steve Blake, chief executive of the U.S. division of ARCADIS, hailed the contract as a milestone for his company.

"This is the first program of this size from the U.S. Air Force for which ARCADIS has been selected as a prime contractor," he said.

The contract outlines a performance period of five years for basic environmental remediation services with another three years allowed for completion.

The contract also includes restoration services under the U.S. Military Munitions Response Program, which addresses the environmental hazards posed by discarded and other munitions at active and former military installations.

ARCADIS expects work to begin by the end of 2009.