Contractors form coalition to highlight role in international development efforts
More than 50 contractors involved in global development have formed a new coalition.
Contractors involved in global development have banded together in hopes of gaining more visibility for their work with the U.S. Agency for International Development as well as with other government agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
More than 50 companies have formed the Coalition of International Development Companies to raise awareness about their impact overseas and the role of the private sector in global solutions.
The companies involved include Abt Associates, AECOM, Chemonics International, CH2M Hill and Development Alternatives Inc., all are ranked on Washington Technology's 2011 Top 100.
“Members of the coalition are eager to work with partners in the federal government and the NGO community to ensure that U.S. development assistance continues to effectively target the neediest recipients and support U.S. policies,” the group said in a June 22 news release.
Many of the firms involved are also members of other large coalitions, including InterAction or the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. They also are working in partnership with the Professional Services Council and the International Development Task Force.
However, the new coalition is meant to highlight the role of for-profit businesses and to ensure that the private sector receives credit for its contributions, the group said.
"When policy decisions are being made at State Department or USAID, we want to have the opportunity to give them our insights," Charito Kruvant, president of Creative Associates International and chairman of the coalition’s executive committee, said in an interview with The Cable and quoted on the coalition’s website. "We found ourselves being left to the side. We were not at the dialogue table, because we thought naively that results count. But we now need to be sure that the results are shown and communicated."