Interpublic (NYSE: IPG) agency Weber Shandwick won a $866,000 contract from the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office to implement a public outreach program designed to ensure a complete and accurate 2010 census count, the agency said today.

Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller said in a statement that the state, “simply cannot afford to throw away precious federal dollars just because somebody isn’t counted.”

Barb Iverson, president of the financial services practice at Weber Shandwick said a “minority” of states issue census related contracts for agency work, while a majority handle things in house or by other mean. In addition to Nevada, Iverson said Florida is on the only other state to her knowledge that has an RFP out.

Weber Shandwick has also been handling the federal account for census outreach for the past two and a half years. DraftFCB is the federal agency of record on the advertising side.

The Minneapolis office of Weber Shandwick, which leads the firm’s work on the federal account, has assigned a separate team to lead the Nevada campaign. In addition, the agency has subcontracted with The Ferraro Group of Reno and Las Vegas to assist in execution.