USTDA Hosts Procurement Leaders from Ethiopia

USTDA’s Director Zak meets with Ethiopian officials to share best practices that can improve public procurement outcomes.

Welcomes delegation for follow-on training on value-based procurement

ARLINGTON, Va. – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency welcomed a delegation of 14 senior Ethiopian officials to share best practices on innovative, value-based mechanisms that can improve public procurement outcomes.

“USTDA is pleased to host this visit for our partners from the Ethiopian government,” said USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak, who welcomed the delegates to the Agency’s headquarters.  “We applaud their commitment to achieving greater value for money, improving project outcomes and receiving the highest-quality goods and services for the people of Ethiopia.”

The delegation will take part in an 11-day study tour to the United States under the Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value (GPI).  They will receive advanced training in life-cycle cost analysis, best value determinations and risk management from experts at the George Washington University’s Government Procurement Law Program and technical specialists from Green Powered Technologies (McLean, Va.).  They will also meet with U.S. procurement officials at the federal, state and local levels, and view case studies in value-based procurement in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

This visit marks the second phase of USTDA’s partnership with Ethiopia under the GPI.  The Agency is supporting the Ethiopian government’s efforts to incorporate life-cycle cost analysis and value for money elements into their public procurement practices to obtain the best value for government funds and to improve overall procurement outcomes.

Many of the delegates participated in a USTDA-sponsored procurement training in Addis Ababa last fall.  The delegation also includes a representative from Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP), the recipient of a USTDA grant for a senior procurement advisor to help EEP achieve value for money in energy projects – including those that support President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, which aims to increase electricity access in Ethiopia and across sub-Saharan Africa.

About USTDA

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project planning activities, pilot projects, and reverse trade missions while creating sustainable infrastructure and economic growth in partner countries.