Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co's Energy and Infrastructure team, in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, has advised Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) on the successful procurement of a private management support contractor.

The USD$27.5 million arrangement will support DABS, the Afghanistan state electricity transmission company, in its operations within the Kandahar and Helmand provinces. The contractor, Power Generation Solutions will be charged with improving the metering, revenue, service levels and management capability of DABS in Kandahar.

The innovative management support contract will be funded by USAID as part of its wider Electricity Commercialisation Program in Afghanistan and will play a key role in improving the country's energy infrastructure.

Projects partner, Jonathan Brufal and associate Tom Gray advised on the project with support from head of International Energy, Kieron Dwyer.

Scott Mills, the International Finance Corporations' lead adviser on the project said: "our lawyers worked hard to provide us with excellent advice and meet our deadlines.  They showed a keen understanding of the practical difficulties a contractor might face in Afghanistan and delivered the documents and counsel we needed to successfully procure such a challenging project."

Jonathan Brufal said: "The team advised on the initiative from its conception to its successful close. The project required a contract that was both attractive to bidders yet protective of DABS, and given the nature of the funding, that also satisfied various USAID requirements. We balanced those interests to create a contract that was suitable for use within a challenging environment such as Afghanistan."

Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co's Energy and Infrastructure Finance team advises both public and private sector clients on the procurement, development and financing of a range of projects across emerging markets. The team is working on mandates in Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa, for clients such as TradeMark East Africa, the Kenya Ports Authority, the Government of Rwanda and the Development Bank of South Africa. It is also advising on a number of UK and European projects.