Is the U.S. government pursuing a double standard at home and abroad when it comes to aid procurement?
Faced with a hostile budget environment, U.S. foreign aid agencies have sought creative ways to cut costs in the way they procure goods and services from U.S. businesses and NGOs — in particular, by awarding grants and contracts to bidders that offer the cheapest proposals.
But at the same time, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency is now involved in an effort to convince foreign governments to award contracts based on “best-value,” since low-cost contracts rarely go to U.S. firms whose proposed projects are typically more expensive than those from other competitors, mainly Chinese.
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About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
