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Bureau for Management
>> Regional Overview >> Bureau for Management Overview Program Data Sheet
969-010CENTRAL OPERATING UNIT: Central Program
PROGRAM TITLE: Information Technology Transfer
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE AND NUMBER: Information Technology Transfer, 969-010
STATUS: Continuing
UNOBLIGATED PRIOR YEARS FUNDS AND FUNDING SOURCE: $0
PLANNED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $1,500,000 DA
PROPOSED FY 2003 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $0 DA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 2002 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2010Summary: The Information Technology Transfer Program (ITT) will assist USAID program officers worldwide to design, implement, and evaluate the information and communications technology (ICT) components of their democracy, health, agriculture, environnment, economic growth, and other programs by:
- Applying the Agency's central institutional memory for substantial ICT applocations and systems,
- Providing Internet technical assistance and Web hosting services for program,
- Building and adapting extranet tools for sharing information with critical development partners,
- Developing technical scopes of work for ICT components of programs,
- Centrally procuring ICT services and commodities, and,
- Verifying performance under highly complex ICT contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements.
Inputs, Outputs and Activities: FY 2002 Program: Development assistance funds for the ITT program will be used to provide short-term technical assistance, Internet support services, training and workshops, telecommunications services, systems analysis, planning, design, evaluation, and audits in support of USAID programs worldwide. These support services have become critical success factors in a significant number of the Agency's activities, and will assure that the information and communications technology components of these programs contribute to sustainable outcomes.
Planned FY 2003 Program: In a world increasingly transformed by the information economy, the information and communications technology components of USAID programs will take on increasing importance in all sectors. The ITT program will continute the FY 2002 program by responding to ever greater requests for technical support.
Performance and Results: ITT program assistance varies greatly depending on the needs identified by the program officers requesting support, and is best illustrated by example"
Leveraging Information Technology to Strengthen Democracy
Under the Sandanista Regime in Nicaragua, vast amounts of property were nationalized. At the end of the 1980s, with the restoration of democracy, it was decided by the Government of Nicaragua that an equitable system should be found to compensate previous owners. A manual system was implemented to process claims, but it was recognized that this processing took far too long. The USAID program officers working closely with the Nicaraguan Government on this problem were specialists in the area of democratization and market transformation, but recognized the need turn to specialists in daabase architecture to solve this particular component of the problem.
The ITT program was thus tasked to automate the system of tracking cases to speed the flow of document approvals. ITT Program specialists developed technical scopes of work and interviewed firms that could adapt American software systems to meet local needs. The specialists then verified the quality and performance of the database system that was developed, and oversaw its successful implementation. As a result of the ITT Program's assistance for this component, the overall USAID democratization program in Nicaragua was greatly strengthened.
Leveraging Information Technology to Strengthen Governments
The transformation from a Soviet state to full independence has not been easy for the new Republic of Georgia. The process of operating a government - maintaining roads, providing social services, operating schools, and so on - is no simple task. Revenue is required, and an equitable tax collection system is key. A new system had to be built virtually from scratch, networked nationally, to include the assigning of unique tax identification numbers to all taxpayers, registering declarations about property and income, and recording payments. The USAID program officers working closely with the Georgian Government were specialists in the database systems that were required, but recognized the need to turn to specialists to develop the wide area network to link the nation's tax offices around the country.
The ITT Program was thus tasked to oversee the development of the wide area network component of the national tax system. ITT Program specialists developed technical scopes of work and interviewed firms that coulkd perform the necessary infrastructure installations. The specialists then verified the quality and performance of the national network as it was put in place. Currently 90 percent of the 30 local and regional tax offices have been connected. As a result of the ITT Program's assistance for this component, the overall USAID program to reform and strengthen Georgian Government institutions has been greatly enhanced.
Leveraging Information Technology for Clean AirOne of the great legacies of communism in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union is a network of electricity plants belching black smoke. USAID's Bureau for Europe and Eurasia has been working with national governments to develop policies that will hopefully lead to the generation of cleaner power. With tight budgets, it is rarely possible for the policy experts and policy makers to convene for face-to-face meetings. The experts in the Europe and Eurasia Bureau recognized that they needed to turn to specialists for the tools to convene their meetings via the Internet.
The ITT Program was thus tasked to build a virtual meeting space. Software from a small firm in New York City was adapted by ITT Program engineers to work over noisy dialup telephone lines so common in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The server was housed at a networking facility in McLean, Virginia. The expert panel assembled in their respective offices in New York, Washington, and Greece. The questions were fielded from government ministries throughout Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. As a result of the ITT Program's assistance for this networking component, the Europe and Eurasia Bureau's environmental program for cleaner air was greatly strengthened.
Principal Contractors, Grantees, or Agencies: SETA Corporation is the principal contractor for this activity. Additional services and commodities are acquired through the GSA Federal Acquisitions Services for Technology (FAST) program in support of small and disadvantaged 8(a) businesses.
Linkages: Pillar I: Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (50%) Pillar II: Global Health (25%) Pillar III: Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (25%)
US Financing in Thousands of Dollars
969-010 Technology Transfer DA Through September 30, 2000 Obligations 1,750 Expenditures 1,750 Unliquidated 0 Fiscal Year 2001 Obligations 1,397 Expenditures 1,397 Through September 30, 2001 Obligations 3,147 Expenditures 3,147 Unliquidated 0 Prior Year Unobligated Funds Obligations 0 Planned Fiscal Year 2002 NOA Obligations 1,500 Total Planned Fiscal Year 2002 Obligations 1,500 Proposed Fiscal Year 2003 NOA Obligations 0 Future Obligations 8,190 Est. Total Cost 12,837
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
