The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) has solidified its reputation as a critical national security tool, adept at swiftly and surgically addressing both emerging and ongoing conflicts worldwide. Central to its success is the “One Team” approach, which leverages seamless communication, cooperation, and coordination between SWIFT 5 contractors and OTI, both at the headquarters and in the field, and connects to State Department, Embassy and USAID direction.
The effectiveness of this approach was highlighted in a recent audit of Chemonics’ implementation of the Ukraine Confidence Building Initiative III (UCBI III), a $180 million project, and its follow-on initiative (UCBI 4) valued at $252 million. The unified approach enabled OTI to quickly pivot its program in February 2022 to respond to the immediate needs of the crisis. Within weeks, the UCBI III Task Order was negotiated and awarded. A program review in September 2022 refocused the program to displaced populations and using civil actions to maintain connections with communities in Russian-controlled areas.
From the initial invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to the end of the audit period in December 2023, Chemonics, in close partnership with OTI, issued over 308 subawards. As described in the audit, this close collaboration ensured thorough consultation with local stakeholders, strategic planning for sustainability, and the establishment of clear, measurable grant indicators to assess the program’s impact.
The audit sampled 15 grantees, uncovering that three had inflated some indicators. In response to these findings, additional controls and training were swiftly implemented, reflecting the dynamic and responsive nature of the OTI-Chemonics partnership.
For those familiar with the demands of the SWIFT 5 mechanism or its predecessors, the expectations of the One Team approach are well-known. This model, when executed effectively, proves indispensable in responding to quickly evolving problems and opportunities in conflict programs. The successful replication of this model in other delivery-type programs places high demands on a contractor to maintain a collaborative relationship while respecting contractual boundaries.
Read the Audit here.
