USAID’s OIG conducted an audit of the agency’s staffing for its response to the war in Ukraine, noting that program funding increased 224% from February 2022 to April 2023 ($1.1 billion to $3.7 billion) while staffing shrunk 58% from pre-invasion levels. The report is almost laudatory in recognizing the challenges and measures taken. There were no recommendations. The report listed the following as key to USAID’s response:
- Implementation of workplace flexibilities, such as staff rotations and extended temporary duty status • Pursuit of alternative workspace
- Expansion of third-party monitoring of USAID programming
- Rapid deployment of the Disaster Assistance Response Team
- Surge and contractor staff support
- Priority bidding to fill Foreign Service Officer positions
- Strategic workforce planning that resulted in 50 new mission positions
- Transition seminar for outgoing and incoming mission staff.
Contractors played a key role in quickly mobilizing Mission support (e.g., technical advisors, procurement, and travel specialists), expanded DART team membership, and third-party monitoring in less permissive areas.
Read the OIG announcement and report here.
