Steve Peacock's U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor

Indonesian Air Force Getting Dozens of USAF F-16 Jet Engines

The Obama Administration is providing twenty-eight jet engines to the Indonesian Air Force, which will use the remanufactured Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E engines to equip its F-16 fighters.

The transfer of this technology is taking place under an Excess Defense Article, or EDA, arrangement, according to a Performance Work Statement that the U.S. Air Force posted to the FedBizOpps database on July 30.

According to the EDA page of the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency:

Working under authorities established in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Arms Export Control Act, defense articles declared as excess by the Military Departments can be offered to foreign governments or international organizations in support of U. S. national security and foreign policy objectives. Typically, EDA is transferred to support U. S. allies in their modernization efforts and to assist Latin American and Caribbean nations in their counter-narcotics programs.

Several contracts are expected to be awarded to bring this endeavor to fruition, the document said. In addition to remanufacturing and delivering the engines, separate awards will be made to contractors over a three-year period for logistics and technical support inside Indonesia.

Source document: Solicitation #FA8124-12-R-0019.

Related regional coverage:

Indonesians to Receive Master's Degrees Courtesy U.S. Taxpayers

Obama Administration Pours Millions into Indonesian Education -- Support for Islamic, Public Schools Begun by Bush Continues

 

Hearing: “U.S. Engagement in Central Asia” (July 24)

 

“U.S. Engagement  in Central Asia” will be the focus of tomorrow’s (July 24) hearing of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia. The panel, chaired by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), will meet at 2 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. The hearing also will be avaialable live via online video stream

Scheduled witnesses include:

• The Honorable Robert O. Blake
  Assistant Secretary
  Bureau of Central and South Asian Affairs
  U.S. Department of State
  
  The Honorable Ross Wilson
  Director
  Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center
  Atlantic Council
  
  Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
  Research Fellow
  The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom
  Davis Institute for International Studies
  The Heritage Foundation
  
  The Honorable S. Enders Wimbush
  Senior Director for Foreign Policy and Civil Society
  The German Marshall Fund of the United States

U.S. Getting Closer to Funding China Enviro Clean-Ups, Brazil Airport and Ukraine '9-1-1' Upgrades

The U.S. government yesterday took the next step towards partly financing environmental cleanup projects in China. As U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor previously reported, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) last month issued a Scope of Work related to a series of groundwater remediation initiatives in China—projects for which that nation intend to infuse (USD) $5.5 billion of its own money through 2020 (Monitor, March 16).

Nonetheless, USTDA awarded a $44,000 contract to Ascendant Program Services, LLC, a Bethesda, Md.-based infrastructure consulting firm, to embark upon a "definitional mission," or DM, to China. (Contract award #USTDA-CO201261140).

Despite the seemingly inconsequential price tag of the DM, it is one of several potential exploratory missions for which USTDA might fund—standard steps that the agency typically takes, such as the crafting of next-step “feasibility studies”—before arranging much larger financing of the actual remediation projects.

Ascendant now will travel to Beijing and two other cities that the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection has identified as "priority locations for groundwater and soil remediation projects."

The contract is one of a trio that the company secured from USTDA since last year. The agency awarded Ascendant a $35,000 contract, for example, to perform a feasibility study of an emergency call center project for the Government of Ukraine. 

Likewise, in 2011 it separately awarded it a $50,000 contract to carry out a definitional mission to Brazil, where it was to evaluate possible USTDA funding of airport modernization projects.

As a follow-up measure to that Ascendant mission, the agency last week agreed to give a $485,000 “technical assistance” grant to the Rio de Janeiro State Transport Secretariat toward such airport projects. The Secretariat will not use the money for actual modernization of transportation infrastructure; rather, the funds will help the Rio state authority to “update its statewide airport plan and develop a funding strategy to modernize and expand the state's airport and heliport networks,” USTDA announced.

There is an “urgent need” to fund the project, USTDA justified, as Brazil is experiencing “rapidly increasing air traffic” while also preparing for an influx of visitors due to the upcoming World Cup and Olympic Games.

FOR ADDITIONAL REPORTING ON THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SEE THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.

FOR FURTHER TOPICAL COVERAGE, SEE THE MONITOR'S ENVIRONMENTAL PAGE.

FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, SEE THE MONITOR'S CHINA PAGE,  BRAZIL PAGE, AND UKRAINE PAGE.

USAID to Extend 'Health for Life' Program in South Asia

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) may devote an additional $16-$19 million toward improving health care systems in Nepal, where it hopes to build upon what the agency characterizes as prior accomplishments in that South Asian nation. 

According to a presolicitation notice (#SOL-367-12-000002) posted today to the FedBizOpps database, the "principal development hypothesis" driving the Health for Life Core Contract project is that the:

Government Of Nepal (GON)'s capacity to plan, manage and deliver high quality and equitable family planning, maternal, newborn and child health services can be greatly improved with cross-cutting health system strengthening interventions.

The estimated service period is October 1, 2012 - September 30, 2017. The dates are tentative, as the endeavor is "subject to internal USAID approvals and the availability of funds," the notice says.

FOR MORE REPORTING ON HEALTH CARE ISSUES, SEE THE MONITOR'S HEALTH-MEDICINE PAGE

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE. 

U.S. to Channel Cash Toward China Groundwater-Cleanup Projects

The U.S. government is embarking upon, and partly financing, a series of groundwater remediation initiatives in China -- despite the fact that China already plans to pump (USD) $5.5 billion of its own money into such actions through 2020.

According to a Scope of Work (SOW) that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor has located, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) initially will fund what is known as a "definitional mission," or DM, to China  (#RFQ-CO201261140). The agency will outsource this preliminary endeavor to a private contractor, who would then travel to Beijing and two other cities that the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has identified as "priority locations for groundwater and soil remediation projects," the SOW says.

The document points out that the China MEP requested U.S. assistance because it "recognized U.S. experience and technology leadership in this sector." It also attempts to justify this transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury to U.S. contractors on the grounds that:

While U.S. companies are among the leaders in these technologies, significant competition exists from Canadian, European and Japanese firms, most of which are focusing their efforts on the Chinese market.

Following the DM, the selected contractor will provide a Final Report to USTDA assessing and justifying whether the agency should fund subsequent groundwater- and soil remediation-related Feasibility Studies or Technical Assistance packages.

Programs identified for additional funding would enable USTDA to "build on success of the 2010 USTDA-funded U.S. China water Quality Cooperation Program that provided 12 workshops and seminars for China's environmental leaders on multiple water quality topics."

A search of the FedBizOpps contracting database shows that the agency in 2009 awarded a $450,000 contract (Award #CO-2009310004) to Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc.. of Arlington Heights, IL, to conduct those workshops and seminars.

FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE U.S TRADE & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, VISIT THE MONITOR'S USTDA PAGE. 

FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, SEE THE MONITOR'S CHINA PAGE AND ASIA PAGE.

U.S. to Assess Education Program Progress -- in USAID-backed Filipino Muslim Schools

A U.S.-funded education project carried out in predominantly Muslim regions of The Philippines is about to undergo a review of its effectiveness, following the conclusion of the latest five-year segment of the $90 million endeavor.

This review -- in addition to a bevy of other new or follow-up programs now seeking private contractor assistance in that nation -- comes at a time when President Obama has declared the Pacific Region as a new "top U.S. priority."

The initiative, known as the Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills (EQuALLS) Project, had begun in 2004 under the Bush Administration, which awarded a five-year, $30.1 million cooperative agreement to carry it out primarily in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The U.S. Agency for International devleopment (USAID) in 2006 issued a new 5-year, $59.3 million cooperative agreement to Education Development Center, Inc., to implement Phase II of the plan.

USAID today issued a draft statement of work for the proposed assessment (Solicitation #SOL-492-12-000001) and is seeking comments and suggestions from interested parties.

The goal of the evaluation is to:

assess the impact of USAID’s investment in EQuALLS 2’s intended beneficiaries at the national, regional and local community levels, and assess the performance of EQuALLS 2 in achieving its objectives of improving quality and access to basic education in areas most affected by poverty and conflict in the Philippines, specifically the ARMM and Regions 9 and 12 in Mindanao, and of providing alternative learning opportunities, including livelihood training, to out-of-school youth in these regions.

The evaluation will also look at the effectiveness of its three intermediate results -- increased learning opportunities, improved teaching in math, science, and English, and greater relevance of education and training for out-of-school children and youth… If any stated results were not achieved, the contractor shall identify probable impediments…

It appears that the Obama Administration is looking to keep the momentum going for the EQuALLS Project or a successor educational initiative in The Philippines, as the SOW emphasizes that the evaluation "will inform the USAID/Philippines Country Development Strategy (CDCS) for FY 2011-2016 and will guide the design and development of future education programs."

FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, VISIT THE MONITOR'S PHILIPPINES PAGE.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.

ALSO SEE THE MONITOR’S EDUCATION PAGE.

U.S. Considers Financing Gas Extraction Projects in Central Asia

The U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) is weighing whether to partially subsidize a coal-bed methane extraction project in the Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. The agency will pay a U.S. contractor $60,000 to develop a “feasibility study” of the project before proceeding with additional financing or technical assistance. USTDA is providing a grant for the study on behalf of the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, or MINT, as well as at the request of ArcelorMittau —“the largest owner of coal resources in Kazakhstan,” according to the solicitation (#RFQ-CO201161288).

FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S AZERBAIJAN AND KAZAKHSTAN PAGES.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. TRADE & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USTDA PAGE.

 

USAID to Fund Power-Line Restoration Project in Georgia

An estimated $10 million project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was launched today to rebuild destroyed power lines and related infrastructure in the nation of Georgia. The agency will help the state utility Georgian State Electrosystem, Ltd. (GSE)  to "reestablish" a 37-mile transmission system linking the Menji and Tskaltubo substations. The endeavor also will rebuild utility support structures ("Of a total of 212 original structures only 3 are still in place.") and bus terminals, according to the solicitation (#SOL-114-11-000010). Although the document did not specify the source of the power system's destruction, it should be noted that the country sustained significant damage during a 2008 conflict with Russia, a situation that remains precarious, according to a recent AP report via the Washington Post.

Other Monitor articles on Georgia: See "In Other USAID Business" segment of 4/27/2011  news briefs regarding a $22 million contract that USAID awarded to Chemonics International.

U.S.-Funded Projects Increase as Kazakhstan Power-Brokers Curry Favor From Washington

A trio of initiatives aimed at modernizing the infrastructure of oil-rich Kazakhstan—while simultaneously benefiting U.S. consulting firms—was unveiled, albeit without without fanfare, by the federal government. The U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) late last week began its search for Kazakh project vendors at a time when the U.S. increasingly is becoming embroiled in a tempestuous controversy between the Kazakh President and his exiled son-in-law.

According to The New York Times, Rakhat Aliyev, son-in-law to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, has taken his case to Washington in search of safe passage to the United States. Aliyev, whom Kazakh authorities had accused of kidnapping an oil company executive, is intent on recovering $2 billion allegedly stolen from family members—or simply is trying to smear his father-in-law’s reputation on the global stage, the Times reported (NYT, May 29, “Feud in Kazakh President’s Family Spills Into U.S."). Aliyev reportedly is hiding in an undisclosed European nation, while both he and President Nazarbayev concurrently strive to gain favor in the U.S., the Times says:

With billions of dollars at stake, plenty of people here have been willing to play bit roles in the Nazarbayev family drama, including teams of corporate lawyers, Capitol Hill lobbyists, a former American ambassador to Kazakhstan and the sister of a lawmaker. The dueling lobbyists have appealed to more than three dozen members of Congress, either to condemn the Kazakh government or help form pro-Kazakhstan caucuses. (One congressman even nominated the president for the Nobel Peace Prize.)

While there is no direct link between the timing of U.S.-funded projects and these revelations, nonetheless within three days of the Times report USTDA issued several Requests for Proposals for various consulting contracts, U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor discovered via routine database research. The initial cost of these endeavors does not include potential, subsequent financing to execute the Kazakh projects.

The Rail Signaling and Train Control Systems Project (Solicitation #2010-81027A-1) needs a U.S. consulting firm to carry out a “feasibility study” on behalf of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, also known as KTZ or Kazakhstan Railways. The study, to be made possible with a $655,000 agency grant, will:

1. Evaluate the current status of KTZ's Rail signaling and train control systems;

2. Evaluate current technologies to determine the best fit for KTZ's current and future train control and rail signaling plans;

3. Develop technical specifications for updating KTZ's equipment on a system wide or rail corridor by corridor basis;

4. Develop cost estimates of the above recommended systems.

The Kazkahstan Monitoring and Diagnostic Systems Technical Assistance Project (Solicitation # 2010-81028A-1) requires a U.S. consulting firm to offer “technical assistance” to the Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), which is “100% owned by the national state holding company, Samruk-Kazyna,” according to the solicitation (#2010-81028A-1). This technical assistance, which the agency will fund with a $392,000 grant, will:

1. Evaluate the current status of KEGOC's transmission line monitoring equipment and program;

2. Evaluate current technologies to determine the best fit for KEGOC's current and future monitoring and diagnostic plans;

3. Develop technical specifications for updating the KEGOC's equipment, and guidelines to update KEGOC's monitoring and inspection routines;

4. Prepare tender documentation for procuring the above systems.

The Definitional Mission for Kazakhstan: Gas Utilization and Coal Bed Methane Project (Solicitation #RFQ-CO201161209) seeks a vendor to assess whether the U.S. should provide financing for future modernization initiatives. The estimated cost is $35,000.

Separately, the Monitor discovered today (June 7) at deadline that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) issued a call to the private sector for an Almaty, Kazakhstan-based Strategy and Program Office Director. The position, which pays an annual salary in the $99,628-$129,517 range, will help to oversee an estimated $115 million in annual programs via USAID’s Regional Mission for Central Asian Republics, according to the solicitation (#27-2011).

Indeed, USAID has provided the bulk of aid for contracts awarded in support of ventures in Kazakhstan. USAID in 2010, for example, awarded contracts to vendors for the following endeavors:

Oct. 4; Regional Trade Liberalization and Customs Project; $16.1 million contract to AECOM International Development, Inc.

Sept. 28; Parliamentary-Strengthening-Program; sole-source, non-competitive $3.25 million contract to Development Alternatives, Inc.

Sept. 13; Quality Health Care Project for Central Asia; $72 million contract to Abt Associates.

July 13: Business Environment Improvement Project; sole-source, non-competitive $20.5 million contract to The Pragma Corporation.

USTDA-funded Kazakhstan initiatives in 2010 include:

May 6; Definitional Mission for Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Rail Sector Projects; $50,000 contract to The Seneca Group, LLC.

March 1; Definitional Mission: Kazakhstan/Azerbaijan Maritime Vessel Traffic Systems/Port Security Projects; $38,000 contract to Telematics Engineering Corp, a Reston, Va., firm (no website could be found).

Feb. 26; Definitional Mission:  Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan Aviation Projects; $49,000 contract to Airline Capital Associates, Inc., (d/b/a ACA Associates, Inc.)

USAID and USTDA, plus several other U.S. government entities, have awarded dozens of additional contracts to vendors for Kazakh projects since 2002, a search of federal procurement records show.  The numbers of contracts awarded annually, however, increased significantly in the past two years.

Defense Unit Cancels WMD Initiative in Black Sea Region

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has cancelled a planned initiative to build what it characterized as a "warehouse of analytical tools and skills by which DTRA can identify possible routes" through which weapons of mass destruction (WMD), nuclear materials, and information travel in the Black Sea region. 

Though DTRA already established a Counter Smuggling Network (CSN) collaborative among law enforcement agencies of the Black Sea nations, it had hoped to expand the CSN's ability "to identify the types and quantities of WMD smuggled through illegal channels, identify the origin and destination of the smuggled items, and possibly disrupt the flow of WMD."  (Solicitation #CSO100019602A).

DTRA likewise had sought to expand CSN "to new geographic areas in Europe, Asia, and Africa."

The agency said yesterday that it cancelled the expansion effort due to budgetary constraints.