Levick, which has represented the Embassy of Qatar, is now working for the nation’s communications office under a revamped six-month agreement pegged in the $375K range.

Levick

According to its contract, Richard Levick’s Washington-based firm will conduct ongoing risk-sensing and analysis with a focus on US-Qatar relations, create “forward-looking and actionable recommendations,” develop a stakeholder map of policy influencer, key media and third-parties, monitor and analyze information from think tanks, and publications and consultant with Qatari officials to ensure clarity of communications.

Qatar, which is home of Al-Jazeera satellite TV network and America’s largest military base in the Middle East, has been in the news due to its squabble with its Gulf neighbors led by Saudi Arabia.

Government-owned Qatar Airways today said it would buy a 10 percent stake in arch-rival American Airlines for more than $800M.

Doug Parker, CEO of AA, said he is “not happy” with that investment and called the open market stock purchase approach “puzzling and strange.”