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

Disturbing Truth Behind Obama's Travel Madness (WND)

My latest from WND. -- S.P.

Supporters of Barack Obama tout his dedication to the responsibilities of the presidency by noting that he had taken 96 days of vacation at the point in his term that President George W. Bush had taken a reported 335.

But they admit that 51 of Bush’s trips were to his Texas ranch, while records show that Obama’s destinations have ranged from exotic European and African locales to pricey digs to Hawaii, where he’s sometimes traveled separately from his family, effectively doubling transportation costs for taxpayers.

The records released are partial, meaning no firm travel-expense total can be assembled. But individual cases are revealing.

Continued at WND.com...

ALSO SEE: CNN Rips Off U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor Story on Biden's Plush Parisian Jaunt

 more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/the-disturbing-truth-behind-obamas-travel-junkets/#SMBd76Lp60bvCSCW.99

WND: $110 million for Embassy ... in Suriname?

Tiny nation rich in oil, gold led by alleged killer, drug-trafficker

The Obama administration will pump upwards of $110 million into a new U.S. Embassy compound in Suriname, a South American nation whose population of 580,000 is equivalent to that of Wyoming, the least-populated U.S. state.

Jay Anania, U.S. ambassador to Suriname, said last year during his Senate confirmation hearing, “It is very much in the United States’ interest that Suriname remains a stable democratic partner.”

Read more at WND.com.

Bullets Over Bogota: DEA Flight Unit to Stockpile Ammo

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration tentatively is planning to purchase 121,000 rounds of ammunition specifically for DEA Aviation Division operations in the U.S., the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Afghanistan.

According to a Sources Sought notice that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor located via routine database research, the agency is looking to buy the following quantity and types of bullets:

• 80,000 rounds; .40 Smith & Wesson, full metal jacket (FMJ); 
• 15,000 rounds; .40 Smith & Wesson, jacketed hollow point (JHP);
• 11,000 rounds, 9mm. Luger, FMJ;
• 3,000 rounds; 9mm. Luger, JHP;
• 10,000 rounds; .38 Special wadcutter;
• 2,000 rounds, 38 Special; Hydra-Shok (JHP).

The  ammunition, according to  manufacturer descriptions, is used for defense and target shooting, respectively.

DEA is seeking capability statements from vendors, but has not yet issued a Request for Proposals. Responses are due June 28.

Source document: Solicitation #D-12-HQ-Q-0062.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S LAW ENFORCEMENT/POLICE PAGE, DEA PAGE, AND ITS DRUGS PAGE.

House Panel Tackling State Dept., Foreign Ops Bill This Morning

The House Appropriations Committee this morning is marking up the FY2013 State, Foreign Operations, and Other Programs bill. Some cuts are proposed, and yet much stays the same.  The so-called Drug War, to cite one example, will continue unabated, as the following committee statement indicates:

The Committee recommendation restores reductions proposed in the request for key countries in Latin America. The Committee believes it is critical to continue robust support for counternarcotics and law enforcement efforts, as well as assistance for rule of law and judicial reform activities in Mexico, Colombia, Central America, and the Caribbean to fight drug trafficking and violent crime before it reaches the borders of the United States. The security and stability of these neighbors directly affects the United States.

Taking away opportunities for the murderous drug lords across the hemisphere (i.e.: decriminalization of drugs) is not an option on the table. More multi-billion counternarcotics operations contracts on the horizon.

To view the hearing, go to the committee website.

USAID Launching El Salvador Food & Trade Initiative

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)  will embark upon a what it is calling the Regional Integrated Trade and Food Security Project in El Salvador, according a presolicitation notice released about an hour ago. The document offered a one-sentence description:

The purpose of this Program is to promote inclusive economic growth, improve food security and facilitate trade in the region.

Aside from contact information for the USAID acquisition specialist handling the project, it provided no other specifics.

Solicitation #SOL-596-12-000004.

U.S. Taxpayers May Fund Peruvian Government-Improvement Project

Improving the delivery of local and regional government services to disadvantaged populations in Peru is the focus of a proposed new project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The USAID/Peru Decentralization Project (Solicitation # SOL-527-12-000TBD), a 60-month initiative tentatively slated to begin in June 2012, will use private contractors to promote "efficient and effective public service delivery by sub-national governments" in the following target areas:

1. National Policy: Improve key policies and implement reforms that directly impact decentralization and sub-national governance.

2. Institutional Strengthening: Strengthen sub-national institutions for effective public service delivery and improved management of social conflict and disaster risk reduction.

3. Transparency and Accountability: Enhance government accountability through improved formal transparency mechanisms and expanded participatory processes.

USAID did not disclose the estimated cost of the endeavor.

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

 

Spotlight On: U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA)

EDITOR'S NOTE: The U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA), an independent White House agency, in recent weeks awarded several contracts and separately launched multiple initiatives in nations including Colombia, Egypt. Nigeria, South Africa, Vietnam, and Turkey.  U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor posts these news briefs to encourage readers to ponder -- and comment on -- the question: are these relatively small expenditures a worthwhile investment of U.S. taxpayer dollars to promote global U.S. trade, or are they unjustifiable transfers of wealth from the taxpayer to businesses and to U.S. client states? We leave it up to the reader to decide. Your feedback is welcome. Intelligently crafted comments will be considered for publication as featured posts if you are interested. Both pro and con positions are welcome and will be given equal weight.

NIGERIA: The recently formed Nigerian Ministry of Communications Technology is having difficulties developing nationwide policies, and has requested USTDA assistance in accomplishing that task; consequently, USTDA has embarked upon a "definitional mission" to assist the Ministry (Solicitation #RFQ-CO201211060). On Jan. 19 the agency awarded a $65,000 contract to Washington Strategic Advisors, LLC, to perform a feasibility study before the U.S. government proceeds further with the project (Contract award #USTDA-CO201211060).

Additionally, the  Southwestern Nigeria Gas Pipeline Project Feasibility Study will be paid for with a $446,000 USTDA grant to assess a Nigerian gas utility plan to expand its natural gas transmission and distribution network. (Solicitation #2012-11003A).

Separately, a USTDA contractor recently completed a feasibility study of a proposed project to help the Nigerian Stock Exchange move from a paper-based to a digitized record-keeping system.

TURKEY: USTDA will fund a $450,000 pre-project feasibility study to assist Turkey in diversifying its energy supply, a measure that the government-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK) intends to pursue through a Coal Bed Methane Recovery and Utilization project. The agency recently extended its contractor bid-submission deadline to Feb. 7. (Solicitation #2012-21004A).

SOUTH AFRICA: As U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor previously reported (Monitor, 12/16/11), the agency is offering a $758,000 grant to the South African government and the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) to pay for a feasibility study of an anticipated airport upgrade project. USTDA on Jan. 18 extended the bid-submission deadline to Feb. 3.

EGYPT:  A USTDA project exploring opportunities for U.S. information and communications technology companies to pursue business ventures in Egypt led to a $50,ooo contract for RGITC of Centreville, Virginia (Contract #TDA-CO201221021A).  The company will perform a feasiblity study of the Egyptian ICT sector, which USTDA acknowledged could lead to additional contracting opportunities to perform more in-depth studies of such business opportunities.  (Solicitation #RFQ-CO2012221021A).

COLOMBIA: The Cartagena Wastewater Treatment System Start-Up Project entails a $513,000 grant for a feasibility study of a project that the Government of Colombia is spending $300 million of its own funds to implement (Solicitation #2012-51001A).

VIETNAM: The Preparatory Study for the Development of Chu Lai International Airport involves a $538,000 grant for a feasibility study prior to possibily expanding that airport (Solicitation #2011-31025A).

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

Hearing: “Emerging Threats and Security in the Western Hemisphere: Next Steps for U.S. Policy.”

The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, October 13, will host a hearing titled, “Emerging Threats and Security in the Western Hemisphere: Next Steps for U.S. Policy.” The committee announced that it will examine “current trends and security challenges in Latin America, including drug trafficking, extremism, illicit financing, and the increasing influence of rogue regimes.” It will review U.S. security assistance and policy in Latin America and the Caribbean, and U.S. priorities in the region.

The following witnesses have been called to testify:

1) The Honorable William R. Brownfield, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State;

2) The Honorable Philip S. Goldberg, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, U.S. Department of State;

3) The Honorable Daniel L. Glaser, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing, Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, U.S. Department of Treasury;

4) General Douglas Fraser (Invited), Commander, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Department of Defense.

The event will be held in room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC, and also will be available via live video through the committee’s website.

Contract Further Entangles Nation in Global, Peruvian, and World Bank Enviro Agreements

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday awarded a $39 million contract to Chemonics International, Inc., to help the Government of Peru to "measurably improve forest governance and environmental management, conserve sustainable tropical forest landscapes, and increase forest-based livelihoods in Peru in the context of implementing the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) and other international agreements."

According to the project Statement of Work (Solicitation #SOL-527-10-000007), the U.S. and Peru in 2006 initially signed an Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA) “that provides a framework for enhancing bilateral environmental cooperation between the Parties aimed at protecting, improving, and preserving the environment, including the conservation and sustainable use of their natural resources."

As part of the ECA, the nations also agreed to establish an Environmental Cooperation Commission (ECC), which must:

define a Work Program, establishing specific goals, objectives and areas for cooperation in a way that reflects national priorities of each Party. In addition, the Sub-Committee on Forest Sector Governance was created to facilitate cooperation between the parties and to provide a forum for the parties to share views and information on any matter arising under Annex on Forest Sector Governance of the PTPA. The Sub-Committee, chaired by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for the United States and the Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) for Peru, is to be composed of governmental representatives of both Parties…

In addition to coordinating efforts with the Peruvian forest authorities and the Ministry of Environment, Chemonics likewise will coordinate efforts with the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility in helping Peru to reduce emissions.

Chemonics will provide this assistance potentially over five years, beginning with a three-year base period and followed by two possible option years. (Contract Award #AID-527-C-11-00002)

U.S. Seeks to Fill Crime-Prevention Advisor Slots in Mexico

The U.S. government is deploying law enforcement advisors to Mexico to assist that nation in stepping up activities of an anti-crime endeavor known as the Merida Initiative. The U.S. Agency for International (USAID) is recruiting private contractors capable of carrying out the duties of a pair of positions titled: (1) Senior Crime Prevention Advisor/Pillar IV Team Leader (Solicitation #SOL-523-11-000003); and: (2) Senior Rule of Law Advisor/Pillar II Team Leader. (Solicitation #SOL-523-11-000002).

The U.S. State Dept. describes the Merida Initiative as:

a multi-year program to provide equipment and training to support law enforcement operations and technical assistance for long-term reform and oversight of security agencies. In 2008, Congress approved an initial $400 million for Mexico and $65 million for Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. In 2009, Congress approved $300 million for Mexico and $110 million for Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti. In 2010, $450 million for Mexico and $100 million for Central America has been requested from Congress.

Both advisor slots pay in the $84,697–$110,104 range.

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

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S LAW ENFORCEMENT/POLICE PAGE.