Sri Lanka Success Story
 The Sri Lanka mission recently made use of a new Department of Defense (DoD) funding mechanism to expand its portfolio. The DoD's Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid (OHDACA) program allows it to partner with outside USG agencies to provide humanitarian assistance. OHDACA is an excellent opportunity to link DoD's resources with USAID's field expertise.
The mission in Colombo recently partnered with DoD on a $2.7 million program to reconstruct rural infrastructure to support the return of internally displaced people to their homes in the multi-ethnic Eastern Province of Sri Lanka, a critical proving ground for implementation of constitutional reforms aimed at decentralizing power to the regions. Starting with joint meetings between the Embassy's Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC), USAID and the Sri Lanka Army's Eastern Command, USAID worked with the ODC and the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a scope of work that fit the goals of both USAID and DoD in Sri Lanka. Within six weeks, a MoU was agreed upon and DoD transferred the funds to OMB. OMB transferred these funds to USAID in ten days. The mission was then able to begin implementing this program through an existing contract with a partner that had a three-year track record of restoring public infrastructure in the politically volatile East.
The end result is a collaborative project that provides additional funds to the mission, meets the needs of both USAID and DoD, and provides needed assistance to support the return home of conflict-displaced populations and expedite the transfer from military to civilian authority. DoD is interested in exploring more partnerships like this. Please contact USAID's Office of Military Affairs (OMA) for additional information on how your mission can qualify for a similar DoD program. OMA facilitates USAID/DoD coordination and has placed senior development advisors in the regional combatant commands.
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