In 2007, Crown Agents USA, Inc. was awarded a $70 million USAID subcontract by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) under the Indoor Residual Spraying Project (IRS). IRS involves the application of small amounts of insecticide to the interior walls of houses to kill malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. The importance of IRS in Africa is highlighted by the fact that ninety percent of malaria-related deaths occur in Africa. Crown Agents' work centers principally around the procurement of insecticides, protective clothing and sprayers, with other commodities depending on the country. The contractor and subcontractors under the IRS IQC will spray residences in malaria-prone areas and provide other services related to malaria vector control to USAID Missions, the USAID/Washington Global Health Bureau, and other USAID Bureaus and operating units.
IRS is part of the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), a $1.2 billion, five-year initiative to combat malaria in Africa. There are 15 countries under the PMI target-countries list. In 2008, operations in Rwanda, Ghana, Mali, Benin, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Kenya, Angola, Madagascar, Malawi and Zambia have involved Crown Agents' support in commodity procurement and shipping, payroll operations, warehouse renovation, and other management services as needed. Spraying in Liberia is expected to begin in 2009.