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The FBI is investigating whether U.S. officials improperly awarded Vice President Dick Cheney's former company lucrative contract work without competition, a probe that was confirmed only days after a top Army contract officer raised the issue of favoritism. The investigation expands an existing probe of whether Halliburton Co. overcharged for fuel deliveries in Iraq. The probe now includes the no-bid work awarded the company in Iraq, including restoration of the country's oil industry at a cost of $2.5 billion. The expanded investigation is converging with statements made last weekend by Bunnatine Greenhouse, the chief contracting officer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The FBI has requested an interview with Greenhouse, who said her agency unfairly awarded KBR, a Halliburton subsidiary, the Iraq work. Cheney headed Halliburton, a Houston-based oil services conglomerate, prior to running for vice president four years ago. He has consistently denied any involvement in the contracts. His spokesman, Kevin Kellems, said in response to a question that neither Cheney nor his aides have been contacted by investigators. A federal law enforcement official, speaking only on condition of anonymity, said the investigation does not involve anyone in the White House, including Cheney's office. [more] and [more]