The subsidization of Romanian information and communications technologies (ICT) and e-health projects are among the latest overseas endeavors for which American taxpayers likely will be footing the bill, U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (TRAM) has discovered.
According to contracting documents that TRAM has located through routine database research, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) on March 31 hired a consulting firm to “evaluate Romanian ICT sector opportunities for USTDA funding consideration.” New York City-based Actionable Strategies, which also has offices in Europe, Saudi Arabia, and China, was granted a $49,000 contract to prepare a report that will “identify and evaluate potential project opportunities.
Although the overall future transfer of funds from the U.S Treasury to industry on behalf of the Government of Romania has yet to be determined, what is known is this: according to the Scope of Work (SOW) for the “Romania: ICT Sector Definitional Mission” endeavor, the Romanian software industry already “is one of the fastest growing in Europe…” Additionally, U.S. technology companies already are “heavily represented in Romania and are poised to take advantage of increased opportunities…” the SOW acknowledges. In fact, the agency further acknowledges that currently “more than ¾ of foreign software products in Romania are American.”
Nonetheless, USTDA is prepared to give more so these U.S. companies can gain more.
“Several U.S. companies have expressed interest” in large-scale projects that the Romanian Ministry of Communications & Information Society and the Ministry of Health are planning or considering, the document points out. Such initiatives include plans to improve broadband access nationwide as well as to roll out “an electronic health card project, an electronic health records system, and an electronic prescription system,” according to the SOW.
(Sources: Solicitation #RFQ-C0201121124 and Contract Award #TDA- C0201121124)
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