The Government of Georgia has hired Hill+Knowlton Strategies, a New York-based public relations and public affairs firm, for promoting “increased trade between the United States and Georgia.”
Under the seven-month contract, registered on April 4, the Government of Georgia will pay a total of USD 750,000 in 2019, according to filings submitted by the firm to the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agent Registration Act.
The authorities will also pay USD 1.1 million for paid media production and placement services.
According to the agreement, Hill+Knowlton Strategies “will assist Georgia with outreach to state and federal lawmakers, U.S. businesses, and U.S. audiences to raise awareness about the tremendous economic opportunities presented by the country of Georgia.”
The company will also “underscore the need for the United States to expand its already close relationship with Georgia as a reliable ally,” and will “help interested businesses advocate for elevated U.S.-Georgia trade relations.”
Outreach will take the form of meetings and print, TV and digital advertisements, the contract also reads.
The document was signed by the Minister of Economy, Giorgi Kobulia on behalf of Georgia.
Renewed contracts
In January 2019, the office of the Government of Georgia renewed its contracts with two other American public relations companies.
Under its contract with Chartwell Strategy Group, a Washington D.C.-based firm, the authorities will pay a total of USD 780,000 in 2019 (USD 65,000 per month) for lobbying Georgia’s interests before the Congress and U.S. Presidential administration.
According to the contract, the company will undertake to strengthen bilateral relations between Georgia and the Unites States with outreach efforts and will also engage administration officials “on the need to support greater U.S. foreign direct investment (FDI) into Georgia and to grow bilateral trade relations.”
The Government of Georgia signed another contract with StrateVarious LLC, a Virginia-based public relations consultancy.
According to the agreement, StrateVarious will “survey the geopolitical landscape of the United States continuously, with the aim of alerting the client to both opportunities for and impediments to attaching Georgian objectives to articulate U.S. interests and policies.”
StrateVarious will also prepare messaging for Georgia’s principals, including for public addresses by the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the Ambassador to the United States.
The lobbying company will also “identify themes that resonate most strongly with U.S. Presidential administration,” and “explore how these themes can be effectively articulated and delivered to diverse consumers,” such as “policy elites, Congress, media, think tanks, business organizations, and foreign governments.”
The authorities will pay a monthly fee of USD 15,000 to StrateVarious (USD 180,000 a year).
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