The U.S Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) invests in infrastructure and industrial projects in middle-income and developing counties. The agency contracts with U.S. companies to advise the agency on funding proposals plus the agency contracts with U.S. firms for products and services. Almost all contracts with USTDA are reserved for small businesses.
The agency seeks technical experts qualified in health, telecommunications and information technology, manufacturing, finance and in other areas such as energy, transportation, and environment.
To meet their needs, USTDA has developed a “Consultant Database” for Small U.S. Businesses. Consultants can receive contract assignments lasting anywhere from several days to several weeks based on the complexity of the assignment.
USTDA uses consultants and contractors to provide technical advice to the staff so that the staff may evaluate potential investments in feasibility studies and other project planning services. Consultants and contractors are then required to write detailed technical reports supporting their views.
USTDA awards small business contracts called “Desk Studies”. Contractors do research in the U.S to develop information on a project and with “Desk Studies” no overseas travel is required. Another type of small business contract is called “Definitional Missions” to develop the technical information needed but “Definitional Missions” requires a short-term visit overseas. Requests for “Definitional Missions” are posted on www.fbo.gov.
USTDA now requires all small businesses interested in working with the agency to register in two places. The first place is www.ustda.gov/consultantsdb to be included in the Consultant database. The second place to register is the Central Contractor Registration at www.ccr.gov. By registering in CCR, your organization will not only be of value to USTDA but also to other government agencies and private companies. Registration is free for both registrations.
As an example of an USTDA contract awarded this past spring, USTDA awarded the Vi Na Group Corporation (VNG) a grant to examine the feasibility of establishing a cloud computing business in Vietnam.
The $402,675 feasibility study project awarded to Pathway Systems LLC in St. Louis Missouri, involves examining the growing demand for data center services, while minimizing costs and filling the infrastructure gaps that exist in the growing Vietnam internet and ICT market. In addition, the study will look at information technology applications services to customers who lack the financial resources or justification to maintain their own computer systems.
The study will define the market opportunity, strategy, size, scope, implementation plan, and tendering process for the cloud computing data center and provide procurement documents required for VNG to acquire all of the facility’s components.
Go to www.ustda.gov/businessopps/smbusinesses.asp for more small business information or Contact Walter Knott, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Contracting Officer at (703) 875-4357.
