PublicisPublicis Groupe is acquiring Washington-based Qorvis Communications, which ranks as the No. 10 independent PR firm with fees of $30M.

Qorvis and its 80 staffers counsel Saudi Arabia, Cisco Systems, U.S. Institute for Peace, AAMCO, American Pharmacists Assn. among other clients. It will become part of PG’s MSLGROUP unit.

Qorvis CEO Michael Petruzzello will serve as president of Qorvis MSLGROUP in D.C. and CEO of the agency’s North American PA practice. He will report to Renee Wilson, president of MSLGROUP North America.

The acquisition, according to MSLGROUP CEO Olivier Fleurot, “makes us stronger in Washington and a highly engaged player in top economic, PA and government issues on the global stage.”

Petruzzello founded Qorvis in 2000.

Publicis, this week, received EU clearance for its mega-merger with Omnicom.