The Dominican Republic has hired Tallahassee, FL-based public affairs firm Ballard Partners for consulting and advocacy services as a means of boosting bilateral relations between that Hispaniola island nation and the U.S.

Dominican Republic

According to Foreign Agents Registration Act documents filed in April, activities will include advising, counseling, and assisting the DR in communications with U.S. government officials.

The Caribbean nation will pay Ballard $900,000 for the work in monthly installments of $75,000. The contract, which began in March, continues until March 2018.

Ballard Partners is led by longtime lobbyist Brian Ballard, who headed President Trump’s election campaign efforts in Florida. The firm in January opened an outpost in Washington, D.C., which is staffed by former U.S. ambassador to Venezuela Otto Reich; as well as Trump’s Florida campaign manager Susie Wiles; and Dan McFaul, former staffer to Reps. Joe Scarborough, Jeff Miller and Matt Gaetz.

The DR in recent years has signed image-building pacts with MWW, Squire Patton Boggs and The Harbour Group.