The U.S. Agency for International Development‘s South America Regional office in Peru has awarded a potential five-year, $23.5M contract to AECOM to help protect the Amazon rainforest from harmful infrastructure and extractive efforts.
Under the Amazon Promotion of Best Social and Environmental Management Practices initiative, the company will work to protect the hydropower, oil and gas, mining and road sectors in the South American region, AECOM said Thursday.
The engineering firm will coordinate with The Nature Conservancy, government stakeholders, and indigenous and local communities for the project.
John Vollmer, president of AECOM’s management services group, said the company will provide USAID with technical and advisory services, training and research to protect natural resources and indigenous rights and cultures in the Amazon region.
“This award gives us an opportunity to continue our environment and sustainability work in Peru and Colombia, and expand our regional presence to include Brazil,†he added.