Fast Actor

AID's Office of Transition Initiatives uses a variety of tools to respond rapidly in Iraq and other countries in political transition:

The Bullpen

Twenty development experts, some of them retired AID employees, who can work up to 160 days a year to start programs, serve as short-term replacements for permanent staff and review strategy.

Contractor Roster

Under a pre-competed, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract, OTI has a handful of contractors who can set up new programs in a matter of weeks. OTI has a $48 million pact with its primary Iraq contractor, Bethesda, Md.-based Development Alternatives International Inc.

Less Red Tape

OTI has authority under the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act to bypass many federal procurement and hiring rules. In Iraq, no OTI grants had been competitively awarded through late November.