Parsons Awarded Contract by USAID to Support Rural Roads in East Africa

PASADENA, CA – Parsons announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand rural roads in the East African nation of Rwanda. The expansion of Rwanda’s rural road infrastructure will substantially benefit the Rwandan economy by supporting regional trade and giving farmers an improved transportation system and access to markets for their crops—90% of Rwanda’s population is involved in some way with crop cultivation, and improved roads will significantly impact a nation where many farmers live at the subsistence level.

Under this contract, Parsons will provide a roads inventory and condition assessments, prioritization, planning, preparation of technical designs, procurement support, and construction supervision for 1,000 kms of improved roads. The project will benefit Rwandans by employing and training local labor forces—women will comprise at least 30% of the labor force. Parsons will also provide mentor-protégé training on procurement to Rwanda’s District governments that will build local expertise and ultimately enable the Districts to tender maintenance programs directly to rural communities, empowering local work forces.

“Parsons is pleased to support USAID’s goal to ‘feed the future’ by developing sustainable road infrastructure in Africa,” said Todd Wager, Parsons Group President. “Parsons has worked in Africa for close to 50 years and has supported many USAID projects in Africa with design, engineering, and construction services to improve lives by delivering clean water, reliable power, and improved transportation.”

Parsons, celebrating more than 65 years of growth in the engineering and construction industry, is a leader in many diversified markets with a focus on infrastructure, environmental, and defense/security. Parsons delivers design/design-build, program/construction management, professional services, and innovative alternative delivery solutions to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. For more about Parsons, please visit www.parsons.com.