**GAO-09-607T**                      Published: Apr 28, 2009. Publicly Released: Apr 28, 2009.                  

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## Highlights

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has shifted from conducting its own activities to managing acquisition and assistance (A&A) instruments--contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements--it awards to implementing organizations. From fiscal years 2002 through 2008, USAID's A&A obligations increased from about $5 billion to about $11 billion. A&A staff--contracting officers (COs) and A&A specialists--are primarily responsible for managing A&A instruments. This testimony is based on a September 2008 GAO report that examined USAID's capacity to develop and implement a strategic A&A workforce plan and the extent to which USAID has implemented a mechanism to evaluate its A&A function.

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## Topics

Human Capital

Auditing standardsData collectionEmployeesEvaluation methodsFederal agenciesFederal aid to foreign countriesHuman capital managementHuman capital planningInformation managementInternal controlsInternational relationsOperational testingPerformance appraisalPolicy evaluationProcurementProcurement planningProcurement practicesSchedule slippagesStaff utilizationStrategic planningSystems evaluation