The changes in Australian foreign aid policy laid out two weeks ago by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will inevitably bring changes in how the country’s official development assistance is delivered by development partners, including, of course, private sector contractors.
Bishop’s “new aid paradigm” will implement performance benchmarks to gain more value for money, along with an increased focus on private sector participation in delivering aid projects — a progress largely welcomed by the international development community clamoring for more details and direction following the Abbott government’s highly scrutinized aid decisions since elections last September.
So what do private sector implementers think of the reforms? GRM International, for one, believes Australian aid is evolving in tune with the changing development landscape.