Washington, DC - October 18, 2004 - International Resources Group (IRG), an international professional services firm, was named Government Contractor of the Year in its category of companies under $75 million in 2003 revenue. The award was presented at the 2004 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards ceremony on October 13. IRG was chosen for its "distinguished financial and operational accomplishments and for outstanding contributions to employees, the government contracting industry and the US government." The awards honor outstanding small, mid-size, and large companies working for federal government agencies and are sponsored by the Professional Services Council, Washington Technology magazine, and the Northern Virginia Government Contractors Council.

IRG President and CEO Asif Shaikh, accepting the award at the ceremony, said: "This award belongs to ALL of the people of IRG around the world. My colleagues on the IRG Management Committee and I are honored to accept it on their behalf. For 25 years, IRG staff have worked tirelessly, with extraordinary dedication and often with great courage, to build a cleaner, safer and more prosperous world, here in the United States , and in 130 other countries around the globe. For all of us at IRG, the greatest privilege of our professional lives has been to work for our clients in the U.S. Agency for International Development, in other agencies throughout the Federal Government, in the private sector and in international organizations to improve the lives of people around the world. At a time when the headlines are dominated by the things that divide us, we have the rare opportunity to work on what brings people together. We are humbled and honored to receive this exceptional recognition."

Shaikh said the IRG team was delighted that Timothy Beans, Chief Acquisition Officer of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) was named the Public Sector Partner of the Year at the awards ceremony. This award recognizes the government professional who has demonstrated leadership and vision in building a spirit of partnership with the private sector and in leading change in the procurement community. Shaikh said: "Tim Beans has set a new standard for constructive and cooperative relationships between government and the private sector. He has demonstrated that while government always retains its strong and clear oversight responsibility, we all work for the same taxpayers and towards the same objectives. Tim Beans' selection for this award, coupled with that of IRG, also provides a new level of recognition for USAID within the government contracting community."

For 25 years, IRG has helped governments, the private sector, communities, and households manage critical resources to build a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous world. The company's more than 400 diverse and experienced staff members include world-renowned specialists who have pioneered many of the analytical techniques used in their fields. The company's core sectors of operations include energy, environment, natural resources, agriculture, water resources, and disaster relief and reconstruction. Cross-cutting expertise focuses on knowledge management, governance, economics, policy, and institutional strengthening and training.

The company is proud to be a supporter of communities in the countries where IRG employees live and work. Grants from IRG's Cultural Preservation Fund (CPF) help communities in impoverished nations preserve their cultural legacy. CPF projects are currently underway in Peru, Nepal, and Nigeria. To preserve resources at home, IRG has a proactive approach to environmental responsibility, with a corporate environmental management system that earned ISO 14001 certification in early 2004.

###

IRG contact:
Cynthia Pflugh,
Corporate Vice President,
cpflugh@irgltd.com,
202-289-0100.

IRG Web site: www.irgltd.com
GovCon Awards Web site: http://www.govconawards.com/index.htm