Washington, DC, Jun. 7 (UPI) -- The Pentagon granted $300 million in contracts Tuesday to companies to help develop materials for psychological operations in Iraq and elsewhere.

SYColeman Inc., Lincoln Group, and SAIC, all of Washington, D.C., won the contracts, each of which is worth up to $100 million.

They will be doing media approach planning, prototype product development, commercial quality product development, product distribution and dissemination, and media effects analysis.

The information is aimed at helping the Joint Psychological Operations Support element and other government agencies, a Pentagon announcement said.

Psychological operations is the military term for propaganda -- targeted communications meant to influence foreign populations.

Psychological operations are carried out to project a favorable image of U.S. and allied forces. They also inform audiences in new areas or places where there is enemy activity, amplify the effects of a show of force and assess attitudes and impressions of the people.