SAGINAW, MI--Dow Chemical is on the hunt for an agency to support its sponsorship of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

The company is understood to have briefed a handful of PR firms as it attempts to turn its status as a top-tier Olympic sponsor into a concrete business advantage.

Dow's sponsorship of the London 2012 Olympics proved controversial because of its links to the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy that killed tens of thousands of Indians. The company became an Olympic partner in 2010 and enlisted global agency-of-record GolinHarris to support its sponsorship efforts.

The new mandate is understood to be worth as much as $1m. It calls for a communications program that will showcase how Dow's science and chemistry capabilities benefit the world of sport and address key global challenges.

Agency presentations are expected to take place at Dow's HQ in Saginaw, Michigan, before a decision later this month.

The review is being overseen by Dean Palmieri, Dow's director of branding and communications for its Olympics operations. Palmieri did not respond to request for comment.