ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Today, in tandem with President Obama’s visit to Ethiopia, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Public Procurement and Property Administration Agency (FPPA) of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to promote transparency and better value in the procurement of large infrastructure projects. The MOU establishes Ethiopia as the fourth partner country under the Agency’s Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value (GPI). Under the partnership, USTDA will provide training to Ethiopian government officials on how to obtain best value and incorporate life cycle cost analysis in public procurement processes, while doing so in a fair and open manner.
“Procuring large infrastructure projects is a challenge in any country, and is frequently impeded by focusing on lowest price over long-term value for the government,” said USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak, who signed the MOU alongside FPPA Director General Tsegaye Abebe. “USTDA promotes transparency and fairness throughout all of our GPI work as a means to ensure good governance and proper stewardship of public funds.”
In October 2015, USTDA will hold a GPI workshop in Addis Ababa for procurement officials from various Ethiopian ministries and departments. As a follow on, the Agency will invite a group of senior officials to the United States in spring 2016 to share best practices and lessons learned from U.S. federal, state and municipal procurement systems. Incorporating value into procurement processes can assist Ethiopia in meeting the goals of its Growth and Transformation Plan, while helping the FPPA serve as a model procurement agency in the East Africa region.
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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.