-By Gregory Solman

LOS ANGELES The Home Depot has hired Select Resources International to lead a review of all aspects of its $500 million-plus communications business, including creative, media, PR, digital and multicultural chores, the client has confirmed.
 
Key agency partners include Interpublic Group's Initiative in Atlanta on media and independent The Richards Group of Dallas on creative.

"We're undertaking a new process, and adopting a periodic line review process that will involve all of our marketing partners going forward," said Jean Niemi, the client's senior manager of corporate communications. Niemi said there was no timetable set for the upcoming review, but she did confirm that Home Depot has hired SRI in Santa Monica, Calif., to oversee the process.

Executives at Richards declined to comment. In light of the agency's 15-year tenure on the account and the procurement-driven nature of the mandated process, Richards is likely to participate, despite its typical policy of not defending reviewed business, according to sources.

The Atlanta-based company's annual paid-media outlays have topped $500 million in recent years, according to Nielsen Monitor Plus.

This story updates an item posted earlier today with client confirmation and the news that SRI has been hired.