Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced five awards to support developing countries' long-term goals of developing and managing water and coastal resources, while protecting the environment and maintaining ecological balance. The five awards - based on full and open competition - fall under one umbrella called an Indefinite Quantity Contract (IQC), with a ceiling of $2 billion.
Under this Indefinite Quantity Contract, the five awardees will exclusively support USAID's global program in integrated water and coastal resources management, a collection of activities that brings together stakeholders and the latest scientific techniques for the responsible management of rivers and water resources. Groups receiving the five awards are ARD Inc.; Chemonics International; PA Government Services, Inc.; Joint Venture of International Resources Group; and Tetra Tech, Inc.
USAID uses Indefinite Quantity Contracts to provide rapid services to USAID field missions and to staff offices for short-, medium-, and long-term activities. These services include support for program development, problem analysis, and implementation of activities. The $2 billion ceiling for this contract reflects the increased demand of water needs around the globe, and demonstrates USAID's preparation to be quick and responsive when a request is made.
Components of integrated water and coastal resources management include:
- Managing water resources at the basin or watershed scale. This includes integrating land and water, upstream and downstream, groundwater, surface water, and coastal resources.
- Optimizing supply. This involves conducting assessments of surface and groundwater supplies, analyzing water balances, adopting wastewater reuse, and evaluating the environmental impacts of distribution and use options.
- Managing demand. This includes adopting cost-recovery policies, utilizing water-efficient technologies, and establishing decentralized water management authorities.
- Providing equitable access to water resources through participatory and transparent governance and management. This may include support for effective water users' associations, involvement of marginalized groups, and consideration of gender issues.
- Establishing improved and integrated policy, regulatory, and institutional frameworks.
The contract period is for five-years, effective September 30, 2004.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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