Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME2260
2003-05-21 19:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

REACHING AN OVERWHELMED BECHTEL: ONE ITALIAN

Tags:  BEXP EAID IZ IT 
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UNCLAS ROME 002260 

SIPDIS


EMBASSY LONDON FOR G. PASCOE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP EAID IZ IT
SUBJECT: REACHING AN OVERWHELMED BECHTEL: ONE ITALIAN
FIRM'S TRAVAILS

REF: STATE 123390

UNCLAS ROME 002260

SIPDIS


EMBASSY LONDON FOR G. PASCOE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP EAID IZ IT
SUBJECT: REACHING AN OVERWHELMED BECHTEL: ONE ITALIAN
FIRM'S TRAVAILS

REF: STATE 123390


1. ON THE EVE OF THE LONDON CONFERENCE ON IRAQ
RECONSTRUCTION, AND WITH FRONT PAGE COVERAGE IN THE MAY 21
ISSUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE OF HOW BECHTEL IS
BEING OVERWHELMED WITH INQUIRIES FROM COMPANIES TRYING TO
REGISTER AS POTENTIAL SUBCONTRACTORS, WE OFFER HERE THE
PERSPECTIVE OF ONE ITALIAN COMPANY THAT IS STILL STRUGGLING
WITH THE REGISTRATION PROCESS.


2. IN RESPONSE TO DEPARTMENT GUIDANCE DISSEMINATED BY
EMBASSY ROME ON ABOUT MAY 6, AN ITALIAN HOLDING COMPANY WITH
EXTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELDS OF DRILLING
AND OIL PLATFORM CONSTRUCTION AND A SUBSIDIARY IN THE U.S.,
BEGAN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO REGISTER WITH BECHTEL. MORE
THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, THE COMPANY IS STILL LABORING WITH THE
PROCESS. FOLLOWING IS ITS ACCOUNT.


3. BEGIN QUOTE: WE ENTERED THE WEB-PAGE WWW.BECHTEL.COM AND
CHOSE OUR LOGIN USERNAME AND PASSWORD. WE ALSO TICKED THE
BOX TO BE AUTOMATICALLY LOGGED IN FOR FUTURE VISITS.

WITH THE ABOVE PROCEDURE, WE ENTERED THE PAGE FOR THE
REGISTRATION OF THE "SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS8 AND TRIED TO
FULFILL THE STEPS LISTED IN THE PARAGRAPH &HOW TO REGISTER8.

WE ENTERED ALL REQUESTED DATA (DUNS NUMBER, ADDRESS, AND NAME
OF THE RESPONSIBLE); THE SYSTEM RECOGNIZED OUR COMPANY BUT WE
COULD NOT ENTER THE "QUESTIONNAIRE8 PAGE WHICH SEEMED QUITE
STRANGE SINCE ALL THE PROCEDURE HAD BEEN PERFORMED CORRECTLY.

WE STARTED AGAIN THE PROCEDURE AND TRIED SEVERAL TIMES
WITHOUT SUCCESS.

THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO FIND SOME HELP, WE ENTERED A PAGE OF
THE BECHTEL SITE THAT LISTED ALL OFFICES WORLDWIDE. SINCE THE
UK BRANCH IS THE ONE NEAREST TO US, WE PHONED THEM. AFTER A
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF OUR DIFFICULTIES, WE HAVE BEEN ASKED FOR
AN E-MAIL ADDRESS WHERE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACTED SHORTLY.

WITHIN ONE HOUR WE RECEIVED AN E-MAIL EXPLAINING THAT "DUE TO
THE VOLUME OF SUPPLIERS/SUBCONTRACTORS ( THE SUPPLIER PORTAL
HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING UNEXPECTED BEHAVIOR(8. THEY ALSO
SUGGESTED TO SEND AN E-MAIL TO IRAQACQU@BECHTEL.COM TO ENABLE
THEM TO VERIFY ALL COMPANY DATA.

WE SENT AN E-MAIL TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS WITH ALL REQUESTED
DATA AND ASKED FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

THE NEXT DAY WE RECEIVED ANOTHER E-MAIL WHICH INFORMED US
THAT THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURE HAD BEEN STARTED AGAIN. AN
ATTACHED FORM HAD TO BE FILLED IN WITH THE COMPANY DATA AND
SENT BACK TO THE ATTENTION OF THE IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT
DESK.

THIS IS THE REGISTRATION SITUATION UP TO NOW. END QUOTE.


4. COMMENT: WE APPRECIATE THAT BECHTEL IS DOING ITS BEST TO
COPE WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED SITUATION, WHICH IS ONLY
EXACERBATED BY THE INSTRUCTIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO DIRECT
PROSPECTIVE SUBCONTRACTORS TO THE WEBSITES OF PRIME
CONTRACTORS. WE HOPE THAT SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS THAT EMERGE
FROM THE LONDON CONFERENCE ON IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION WILL BE
QUICKLY DISSEMINATED BACK TO POSTS SO THAT WE MAY HELP TO
ASSUAGE PROBLEMS SUCH AS THAT DESCRIBED ABOVE. END COMMENT.
SKODON


NNNN
2003ROME02260 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED