Now that USAID has launched its new acquisition and assistance strategy, the agency’s leaders are focused on the next challenge — how to implement it.
A key element will involve addressing a shortage of contracting officers that officials say has reached crisis levels.
The focus on the new strategy was evident during the agency’s latest business forecast gathering. USAID had already released funding data for the coming year announcing opportunities worth $29 billion — slightly more than was in the previous year’s pipeline. So, officials spent a considerable amount of time focused on what the A&A strategy plans to do and how they will execute on its promises.