Ms. Walters's current contract, estimated to be worth $7 million to $8 million a year, has more than a year left to run.
Jiangsu Shagang, Maanshan Iron and Steel, Tanshan Iron and Steel and Wuhan Iron and Steel agreed in March to buy 12 million metric tons of iron ore from BHP Billiton for the next 25 years, a contract estimated to be worth $9 billion.
The two companies beat out Pratt & Whitney, part of the United Technologies Corporation, for a contract estimated to be worth as much as $40 billion over 25 years.
The Department of Homeland Security hopes to award a contract estimated to be worth at least $525 million by September and to break ground on the laboratory next summer.
The three-year contract, estimated to be worth more than $400 million, was awarded by the Sakhalin Oil and Gas Development Company, an international group operated by an Exxon Mobil unit.
He knew that with the Red Bulls acquiring other name players, he was not likely to have his contract, estimated to be close to $2 million this season, renewed.
Over the same period, the network has suffered the high-profile decline of its evening newscast after luring Katie Couric to the anchor's chair with a five-year contract estimated at $15 million a year.
One reason CBS may be able to go after some of the more established names on its list is that in recent days, the network has been able to free up money because of the imminent end of Mr. Gumbel's contract, estimated at $6 million a year, and an undisclosed cutback in the salary for Mike Wallace, the "60 Minutes" correspondent.
The government talks centre on a big contract estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds under which gas from Gazprom, which is owned by the Kremlin, is scheduled to start flowing into Britain in a matter of weeks, before peak winter demand.
