Capabilities

USAID and the Department of Defense work together to deliver assistance to remote areas of west Sumatra, Indonesia

USAID/Indonesia

USAID has a field presence in around 80 countries at any time, and manages programs in twenty more.  We have approximately 9000 employees, organized into three major staff categories:

• Foreign Service Officers, serving mainly overseas (1800)
• General Service/civil service employees, serving mainly in Washington, DC (1200)
• Foreign Service Nationals, who are nationals of the host country (6000)
• Foreign Service Limited Officers, who serve under limited appointments primarily in USAID’s critical priority countries-Afghanistan and Pakistan; and
• Personal Services Contractors, bringing specialized expertise to USAID in Washington and the field.

USAID’s budget in FY 2010 was around $25 billion for worldwide operations.  Our largest foreign assistance programs, with FY 2010 obligated program funds are: Afghanistan ($2.7 billion), Pakistan ($1.3 billion), and Haiti ($701 million).

USAID leverages its small staff by relying on partnerships with U.S. and foreign organizations.   We contract or enter into grant agreements with many partner organizations, which then carry out projects, under the management of USAID Foreign Service Officers in our Missions.  We have more than 3,500 partners, including private companies, international organizations, U.S.-based Private Voluntary Organizations, and U.S and local NGOs.

USAID uses a variety of arrangements, including:

• contracts and grants to partner organizations
• transfers to other federal agencies
• contributions to international organizations (IOM, UN)
• implementation letters with host-country governments
• university partnerships
• public-private alliances (a business model for partnerships with the private sector)

To military colleagues we can offer

• Advice on effective program design
• Technical Expertise
• Knowledgeable extended FSN staff
• Knowledge of customs, practices, don’ts; and
• Able to mobilize capability of host country government, NGOs, and the private sector

USAID Officers are skilled in assessments and analysis; strategic planning; designing (planning) comprehensive programs, performance monitoring and evaluation.
We guide and manage the implementation of foreign assistance programs, including direct dialog with host country officials on policy and institutional reforms.