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Contracts and Grants

Economic Governance: This program continues reforms in tax, fiscal, legal, institutional, and regulatory frameworks. USAID is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance to formulate and implement policy based on international best practices. Capacity-building efforts at the Central Bank of Iraq will expand its ability to develop and monitor an effective monetary policy, strengthen its supervisory role, and modernize banking operations. Economic Governance II also supports pension reform and the development of an integrated Iraq Financial Management Information System and a reliable Social Safety Net.

Private Sector Development: USAID's Izdihar program works to drive economic development and employment generation by supporting key private sector institutions and reforms. The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) initiative provides businesses with reliable access to credit and technical assistance. Izdihar builds the foundation for privatization, in addition to developing the institutions and framework for domestic and foreign investment. The program provides the Government of Iraq with assistance in trade policy and market access to support Iraq's integration with the international economy, including beginning the path to WTO accession. A capital markets component will establish international best practices for equity/bond regulation and trading to develop fair, efficient, liquid and transparent systems for market regulation and trading.

Provincial Economic Growth: The Provincial Economic Growth program, or Tijara, is currently in the procurement process and can be found at www.usaid.gov/iraq/contracts/rfp267-07-001.html.

Agribusiness: Inma, USAID's new agribusiness program, builds upon the success of USAID's previous Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI). Inma works at the provincial level to support the development of agribusinesses and agricultural markets, improving farmer livelihoods and energizing Iraq's single largest source of employment and second largest value sector. It was awarded on May 14, 2007.

Agriculture Reconstruction and Development Program for Iraq (ARDI): USAID supports Iraqi initiatives to revitalize agricultural production, stimulate income and generate employment through enterprise and market development and the rehabilitation of agricultural infrastructure. COMPLETED December 2006.

Marshlands Restoration Program: The program, led by the Ministry of Water Resources in cooperation with USAID and other donors, restored the Iraqi marshland ecosystem through improved management and strategic re-flooding. It also provided health, education and economic assistance to Marsh Arabs. COMPLETED September 2006.

Business Skills Training: Through the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance, "VEGA" (a consortium of NGOs), USAID provided training and technical assistance to businesses of all sizes and entrepreneurs through a dynamic "virtual business center" model. Virtual business training centers provided clients in specific geographical areas such services as business incubation, training in business basics, in-house mentoring and consulting, business and market information, a small grants program, and public-use computer terminals and communications equipment. COMPLETED January 2006.

Community Stabilization Program (CSP): CSP seeks to achieve economic and social stability in Iraqi urban communities. The program works directly with community groups, local government officials, and Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) to foster more productive and peaceful communities through programs that focus on training and employment. CSP will operate in 10 critical cities and consists of four major components:

• Public Works and Small Infrastructure Projects
• Vocational Training and Apprenticeship Programs
• Micro-Small-Medium Enterprise (MSME) Business Development Programs
• Youth Activities

Local Governance Program: USAID's Local Governance Program works closely with Iraqis in all 18 governorates typically through Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), to promote diverse and representative citizen participation in provincial, municipal, and local councils. It also seeks to strengthen the management skills of city and governorate administrators, local interim representative bodies, civil society organizations, and civic institutions to improve the delivery of essential municipal services, such as water, sewer, electricity, and solid waste collection and disposal.

National Capacity Development: USAID's National Capacity Development program, known by its Arabic name Tatweer, seeks to foster a professional civil service shaped by an institutionalized, sustainable training system capable of promoting modern management to Iraqi public institutions. The project provides short-term support for key Government of Iraq (GOI) priorities, executes medium-term activities to improve and standardize public administration, and invigorates GOI training centers to provide sustainable human resource development. In addition, Tatweer provides public management advisors to key ministries to help develop capacity development plans.

Support to the Election Administration: USAID supported the Independent Election Commission in Iraq's (IECI) development of an independent and transparent election administration to implement the transitional elections cycle, which included the December 2005 National Assembly Elections, the October 2005 Constitutional Referendum, and the January 2005 Interim National Assembly Elections and the Provincial Council Elections.

Electoral Oversight and Voter Education Project: Through this program, USAID built the capacity of domestic organizations to monitor electoral events and field domestic election observers. A Coalition of Independent and Non-partisan Election Monitors (CINEM) was established to train and organize monitors. Additionally, the program created a Civic Coalition for Free Elections (CCFE), a non-partisan movement of 76 civic organizations to support Iraqi civil society organizations in countrywide voter education campaigns. USAID also helped establish an Election Violence Education and Resolution (EVER) project, creating a set of techniques and approaches for monitoring electoral conflict. COMPLETED June 2006.

Program to Support an Iraqi Interim National Government, Iraqi Transitional Government, and Constitutional Development: The program strengthened the capacity of the legislative branch during the transition period and the executive branch in its work to develop governing processes necessary to enforce the laws and implement programs and policies. The program supported, through technical assistance, the development of an Iraqi constitution that promotes democratic principles and values. COMPLETED December 2004 and July 2006.

Community Action Program (CAP): CAP works with community action groups across Iraq to identify and prioritize local needs, and then to develop and implement projects that address those needs. This process gives Iraqi citizens a voice in decisions affecting their communities. CAP promotes the participation of women, youth, and minority groups in four major areas: community mobilization, social and economic infrastructure development, employment and income generation, and environmental protection and management.

Iraq Civil Society and Independent Media (ICSP): The ICSP program focuses on strengthening civil society's role in the economic, political, and social development of Iraq. The goal is to contribute to the development and institutionalization of a broad cadre of indigenous civil society organizations in Iraq. A second component of the program is dedicated to developing a professional independent media sector.

Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction: In efforts to upgrade the delivery of public services, USAID rehabilitated vital elements of Iraq's infrastructure. Among its accomplishments, the program improved the supply of electricity in Iraq and distributed it more equitably throughout the country; constructed and rehabilitated water and wastewater treatment plants in both rural and urban areas; constructed a consolidated fiber optic network and repaired the telephone switching system in Baghdad; and rehabilitated Umm Qasr Port, Baghdad International Airport, and Basrah International Airport. An assessment of over 1,100 kilometers of railroad track and rail facilities throughout the country was completed, identifying priority projects, and three priority bridges including two in Al Anbar province and one in Erbil, were rebuilt. COMPLETED October 2006.

Assessing and Managing Iraq's Airports: This program focused on reconstructing two major airports, Baghdad International Airport and Basrah International Airport, to ensure that people, technical assistance, supplies, food, and materials for reconstruction were able to enter the country. The program also trained local Iraqi staff in airport management to ensure the sustainability of airport improvements. COMPLETED January 2005.

Assessing and Managing Umm Qasr Seaport: This program assessed the work needed at the port, and then managed and improved the port's operations. This included improving port administration, coordinating transport from the seaport, and facilitating cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, and storage. The program also reduced vessel turn-around time and increased vessel productivity. COMPLETED June 2004.

Revitalization of Iraqi Schools and Stabilization of Education (RISE)( Education I and II): In its first year, RISE focused on ensuring the smooth continuation of the school year after the 2003 conflict, increasing enrollment, and improving the quality of primary and secondary education. Activities included rehabilitating schools and Education Directorate Generals, and procuring and distributing essential school materials, equipment, and supplies. USAID worked to improve teacher training and school leadership programs, and to provide high-level technical assistance to help reform the educational system. The RISE initiative piloted accelerated learning programs throughout Iraq. The contract also supported institutional capacity building at the Ministry of Education at the national and governorate levels, created model schools to serve as "laboratories of excellence," trained primary and secondary school teachers, provided supplies and equipment to schools, and promoted community participation in quality of early childhood education. COMPLETED February 2007.

UNICEF: With USAID support, UNICEF conducted educational sector assessments, teacher training, school water/sanitation rehabilitation, health education, and an accelerated learning program for out-of-school youth. COMPLETED September 2006.

UNESCO: USAID's grant to UNESCO supported capacity-building for the Ministry of Education in math and science textbook production, printing, and distribution for grades 1-12. COMPLETED April 2005.

Higher Education and Development (HEAD): USAID's HEAD program helped Iraq's higher education institutions regain international standards and educate Iraq's young people. In partnership with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, USAID supported five university partnerships with U.S.-led consortia, each with a unique focus. COMPLETED December 2005.

Iraqi Health Systems Strengthening: The program supported Iraqi-led initiatives to ensure the rapid provisioning of health services in Iraq while strengthening the country's overall health system. Assistance included supporting a reformed Iraqi Ministry of Health at the national, regional, and local levels, as well as delivering health services, providing medical equipment and supplies, training and recruiting health staff, providing health education and information, and determining the specific needs of the health sector and vulnerable populations such as women and children.

Iraq Transition Initiative: USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) supported critical activities that built and sustained Iraqi confidence in the development of a participatory, stable, and democratic Iraq. The Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) worked closely with the Iraqi Interim Government and the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. ITI identified and addressed crucial needs as part of U.S. Government's assistance efforts at national and local levels, and worked to increase public support for the Interim Government. OTI allowed for fast and flexible disbursement of small grants to local Iraqi groups and institutions. Its areas of focus included civic education, civil society, media, conflict mitigation, good governance, women's participation, and human rights, and transitional justice. COMPLETED.

Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) Iraq Program: The intervention in Iraq remained one of the largest humanitarian responses in OFDA's history, and from FY 2003 to the present, OFDA has provided $196 million to Iraq for coordination, health, nutrition, logistics, shelter, emergency relief supplies, support to internally displaced persons (IDPs), water and sanitation, and capacity-building activities countrywide.

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