Calendar of Events | PSC Website
CIDC Now
January 11, 2023
It’s the start of the new year, and CIDC is already hitting the track running. This month, on January 18, we will meet here at CIDC with both Michele Sumilas and Roman Napoli from USAID’s Bureau of Planning, Learning and Resource Management (formerly PPL). These two veteran AID officials will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our conversation on topics ranging from Localization efforts, budget and the current situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. Additionally, CIDC’s Procurement Task Force will meet immediately upon the conclusion of our meeting; USAID’s Industry Liaison Matt Johnson will join us remotely for part of the meeting.
Speaking of expertise, USAID’s new Procurement Executive Jami Rodgers brings decades of federal contracting experience with him as he assumes his new role – in an agency where he worked from 2012-18. Coming most recently from NASA, he also has years of experience at the Department of Energy and the EPA. Jami will be our speaker on February 15.
Please be sure to log in to your PSC account and register for all of the above on the PSC Events Page.
Below you will find PSC’s work – and recognition – in submitting various comments to executive branch on proposed rules; something PSC did 34 times in 2023 – serving as a reminder how critical your input is!
Once again, thanks to all who helped make our 2023 Development Conference such a success. You can read more about the event in our just-released PSC Service Contractor magazine – read here.
Once again, thanks to all who helped make our 2023 Development Conference such a success. You can read more about the event in our just-released PSC Service Contractor magazine, which includes articles on AI written by our staff, as well as one written by ChatGPT- just click on the magazine.
Our “From the Field” stories this month highlight the impact of DT Global and their work to support inclusive climate change adaptation and finance in Fiji and how Cadmus successfully works with USAID’s BEACON program to foster economic development in the Philippines through improved internet access.
Please contact me to help us get the word out about the great work CIDC members are doing to make the world a better place.
Paul Foldi Vice President, International Development Affairs
Next Up
Thursday, January 18; from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. ET
Michele Sumilas and Roman Napoli USAID Bureau of Planning, Learning and Resource Management
PSC Office or Virtual
4401 Wilson Blvd. Suite 1110, Arlington, VA 22203
Please log in and register via PSC’s Events Page
Click here to register
Thanks to our sponsor for this month’s meeting:
From the Field
How DT Global Supported Inclusive Climate Change Adaptation and Finance in Fiji
From left, Fiji Development Bank Climate and Eco Finance Manager Setaita Tamanikaiyaroi and Fiji Development Bank Chief Executive Officer Saud Minam.
Credit: USAID Climate Ready
By: USAID Climate Ready Staff
Climate change amplifies a society’s existing inequalities and poses unique threats to the livelihoods, health, and safety of women, children, and other marginalized groups. For example, during prolonged droughts, women and girls often need to travel greater distances to get water and firewood for their families, increasing their risks of being physically and sexually violated. In fact, reports have shown that incidences of attacks, abuse, sexual harassment, and violence on young girls, children, women, people with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and, intersex people double during and after a natural disaster.
BEACON Chief of Party John Garrity addresses that community of Dingalan, Aurora at an April 23, 2023 public demonstration of the Introducing Non-Geostationary Satellite Constellations Test Deployments to Improve Internet Services (INCENTIVISE) Project.
Cadmus: Fostering Economic Development in Remote Areas in the Philippines through Improved Internet Access
The internet has become a fundamental resource in the digital age, allowing people to connect, communicate, and collaborate anytime and anywhere. Information and Communication Technology (ICT), broadband in particular, has emerged as the most important tool to respond to the challenges posed by the new realities emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic in delivering education, governance, health, and business services and improving overall livelihood. It is through consistent access to ICT related services that countries can ensure access to information, services, and markets, and to enhance global competitiveness.
PSC Matters
PSC Government Affairs Committee Meeting with China Committee Staff
On Friday, February 2, at noon, PSC will host a bipartisan meeting with Professional Staff Member James Cunningham and General Counsel David Dorfman from the of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party – aka The China Committee. This meeting is an excellent opportunity for PSC member companies to discuss their issues with current and proposed regulations governing industry as it relates to legislation on China and Chinese companies. In addition to raising the impact of Sec. 889, we hope companies will provide input and feedback on their recently released report, “Reset, Prevent, Build: A Strategy to Win America’s Economic Competition with the Chinese Communist party.” The report is bipartisan and reflects nearly 150 policy recommendations that the committee may utilize to influence and create new legislation during the second session of the 118th Congress. You can read the report here: reset-prevent-build-scc-report.pdf (house.gov)
PSC Input Recognized in Final Rule
PSC responds to a lot of Federal Regulations, and 2023 was no different. Thanks to member input and hard work in-house, we submitted 34 sets of written comments in 2023; see below for a typical example. What is not always typical, but is always worth noting, is when PSC gets mentioned in the Final Rule. That’s exactly what happened on December 14, when the Department of Labor quoted extensively PSC’s input in its Final Rule on “Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers Under Service Contracts.” This document also provides clarification on how the definition of same or similar work would be applied to Multiple Agency Contracts, as requested by PSC. It also states that the Government did not include a formal reconsideration process for location continuity and agency exceptions, which PSC highlighted as problematic.
PSC Comments on OMB AI Memo
On December 4, 2023, PSC provided comments on an OMB draft memo, "Advancing Governance, Innovation, and Risk Management for Agency Use of Artificial Intelligence." PSC noted AI policies will impact both federal programs and their contracting partners and offered to facilitate future engagement to deepen all stakeholders' understanding of AI's potential opportunities and limits. Based on member feedback, PSC also commented on specific questions and language related to the draft memo. Click here to access PSC's comments.
Thank You Development 2023 Sponsors!
November 9, 2023 saw CIDC host its eleventh annual conference, at the Westin Hotel in Ballston with 200+ in attendance and over 50 attending virtually. Read more about the highlights from the 11th Annual Development Conference in the latest edition of the PSC Service Contractor Magazine here.
USAID Matters
USAID Gets an IG
On Monday, December 18, by voice vote the Senate confirmed Paul Martin as the Agency’s newest Inspector General – filling a vacancy that had been left open since Ann Calvaresi Barr retired in January 2021. The Department of State IG position is still being filled in an Acting capacity.
Upcoming USAID Meetings/Info
Department of State Matters
Recent/Upcoming Events:
On December 12, Department of State Industry Liaison held the FY24 Q1 Virtual Industry Day with representatives from their OSDBU, AQM, OBO, and OPE offices. You can find the presentation slide deck here and the recording here. Department of State Industry Liaison will hold an in-person FY24 Q2 Industry Day on February 5 in Atlanta, GA. Please follow them on LinkedIn for more information.
State’s OSDBU notes the following upcoming meetings:
PSC | 4401 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203 | 703-875-8059
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