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Setting ourselves apart and building on our strengths differentiates KBR from our competitors. KBR's export credit agency (ECA) implementation team plays an integral role in that strategy for success by helping secure the complex yet pivotal financing required for large scale projects from ECA's such as the U.S. Export-Import Bank. The U.S. Export-Import Bank, known as Ex-Im," assists in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets by providing export financing to fill gaps in trade financing when private sector financing is unavailable. Ex-Im helps level the playing field for U.S. exporters by matching the financing that other governments provide to their exporters.On a recent project, KBR's ECA team supported a client in obtaining a $5 billion loan for a project which was the biggest deal in the Ex-Im Bank's 80-year history and was later named the 2013 Ex-Im "Deal of the Year". "Our unique skill set and expertise in setting up ECA deals, as well as the strong relationships we have developed, enable us to facilitate for our clients the complex but essential financing necessary for these projects - something our competitors cannot offer," said James Richardson, Project Manager for KBR's ECA team. "There is a tremendous opportunity for KBR to differentiate ourselves and provide this value-adding feature to our portfolio of services."

"KBR's ECA tools and processes have helped enable exceptional delivery on several large scale capital projects, and we are committed to bringing these best practices to other projects," Richardson said. "The ECA team has partnered with the KBR sales team to support integrated, comprehensive proposals for several mega-projects, most of which may not proceed without ECA financing."However, Ex-Im operates at the authorization of the U.S. Congress, and the Bank's authorization is set to expire in June. Richardson and his team have been working with KBR's Government Relations staff to support the U.S. Ex-Im reauthorization legislation. "Maintaining the U.S. Ex-Im Bank's authorization is important to our business," said Philip Ivy, Senior Specialist, Government Relations. "Through the highly-skilled work that James and his ECA team do, KBR is able to provide unprecedented delivery to our customers and their multi-billion dollar projects.

"Working together, Richardson and the KBR Government Relations team have met with a number of U.S. Congressional members in the Texas delegation as well as various other federal legislators in Washington, D.C. The Government Relations team was successful in helping push for Ex-Im reauthorization in 2012 and has recently had a number of strategy meetings with a coalition of companies including Boeing, Dow and GE, all in an effort to promote the utility of the Ex-Im Bank to KBR's business in hopes of obtaining reauthorization for the Bank again this year.

These efforts culminated in a recent meeting between KBR President and CEO Stuart Bradie and Fred Hochberg, the Chairman of the U.S. Ex-Im Bank, at KBR's headquarters in Houston. According to Hochberg, the oil, gas and chemicals sectors are key industries because of the overall size and importance to the U.S. economy. Bradie shared that KBR's technology and hydrocarbon businesses will target selective commercial opportunities around the world, including several mega-projects that may require ECA financing.

"Ex-Im is proud to support companies like KBR that are contributing to U.S. job growth by exporting American-made energy goods and services to overseas markets," Hochberg said. "I was pleased to visit with the KBR team in Houston and look forward to continuing to support their efforts on behalf of American workers, as Ex-Im has for more than 30 years," Hochberg said.As Congress debates whether to renew the U.S. Ex-Im Bank, KBR Government Relations will continue to support the ECA team in helping achieve a long-term reauthorization so that KBR's unique expertise in ECA financing continues to set us apart in our offerings to customer."