Steve Peacock's U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor

U.S. to Channel Cash Toward China Groundwater-Cleanup Projects

The U.S. government is embarking upon, and partly financing, a series of groundwater remediation initiatives in China -- despite the fact that China already plans to pump (USD) $5.5 billion of its own money into such actions through 2020.

According to a Scope of Work (SOW) that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor has located, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) initially will fund what is known as a "definitional mission," or DM, to China  (#RFQ-CO201261140). The agency will outsource this preliminary endeavor to a private contractor, who would then travel to Beijing and two other cities that the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has identified as "priority locations for groundwater and soil remediation projects," the SOW says.

The document points out that the China MEP requested U.S. assistance because it "recognized U.S. experience and technology leadership in this sector." It also attempts to justify this transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury to U.S. contractors on the grounds that:

While U.S. companies are among the leaders in these technologies, significant competition exists from Canadian, European and Japanese firms, most of which are focusing their efforts on the Chinese market.

Following the DM, the selected contractor will provide a Final Report to USTDA assessing and justifying whether the agency should fund subsequent groundwater- and soil remediation-related Feasibility Studies or Technical Assistance packages.

Programs identified for additional funding would enable USTDA to "build on success of the 2010 USTDA-funded U.S. China water Quality Cooperation Program that provided 12 workshops and seminars for China's environmental leaders on multiple water quality topics."

A search of the FedBizOpps contracting database shows that the agency in 2009 awarded a $450,000 contract (Award #CO-2009310004) to Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc.. of Arlington Heights, IL, to conduct those workshops and seminars.

FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE U.S TRADE & DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, VISIT THE MONITOR'S USTDA PAGE. 

FOR ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COVERAGE, SEE THE MONITOR'S CHINA PAGE AND ASIA PAGE.

USAID to Meet with Contractors for India 'Climate Change' Plan

A $21-$24 million "climate change" project is gaining steam in India, where on Wednesday (Nov. 9) U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) representatives will meet with potential contractors for the endeavor. As U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor previously reported, the agency's Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Deployment, or PACE-D, as it is known,  seeks to “accelerate India’s transition to a high performing, low emissions and energy secure economy…” ("U.S. Taxpayers to Finance New Overseas 'Climate Change' Project," Aug. 12, 2011).

USAID and interested vendors will gather at the Maidens Hotel in the city of Delhi from 10 a.m.-noon.

FOR COVERAGE OF RELATED ISSUES, GO TO THE MONITOR'S ENVIRONMENTAL PAGE.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.

ALSO SEE THE MONITOR'S INDIA PAGE.

Five Months Later, USAID Puts Da Nang Documents Online

Back in May, U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor obtained documents detailing the federal government's environmental cleanup of the Da Nang Airport in Vietnam, which remains tainted by dioxin stemming from the U.S. government's use of the Agent Orange defoliant during the conflict of the 1960s and 1970s; the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is coordinating the cleanup, initially would not put the documents online because the files supposedly were too large. The Monitor, in turn, made a  simple e-mail request for the documents (without making any misrepresentation of itself), and a Thailand-based USAID contracting specialist subsequently delivered, via international mail, a CD-ROM containing all the requested information. The Monitor, to the delight of several Vietnam veteran's groups, immediately made that data available online.

Well, yesterday USAID, for reasons unexplained, suddenly made all those documents accessible via the FedBizOpps database. ***(UPDATE: The agency made the documents available Oct. 5, then modified them Oct. 21)

We ask just one question in the context of the Digital Age (and in the context of a blogger accomplishing a simple task that the federal government could not or would not perform): Why the wait?

USAID Seeks 'Climate Change Advisor' for The Philippines

A contractor to serve as a Regional Climate Change Advisor in The Philippines is being sought by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which will leverage the Manila-based position to “provide expert technical and policy advice on a broad range of issues related [to] climate change…” across the region.

According to a Personal Service Contract notice dated Sept. 14, the selected vendor will, among various other specific tasks:

Develop new regional adaptation initiatives in areas such as ‘climateproofing’ urban infrastructure, coastal community resilience, mangroves, integrated water resources management, water conservation and demand management, and/or transboundary cooperation. Promote use and integration of cross-cutting themes and tools into development approaches, including human and institution capacity building, environmental governance, public-private partnerships, regional cooperation, gender issues, human health, economic development, poverty reduction, and information and communications and technology.

A one-year contract for the position offers annual compensation in the $84,697-$110,104 range.

Source document: Solicitation #SOL-492-11-000023.

U.S. Taxpayers to Finance New Overseas 'Climate Change' Project

A new U.S.-financed “energy and climate change program” of unspecified proportions is about to be unveiled—this time in India.

According to a presolicitation notice dated Aug. 12, a goal of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) endeavor is to “accelerate India’s transition to a high performing, low emissions and energy secure economy…”

USAID said it will award contracts to private vendors to carry out the five-year program, titled “Partnership to Advance Clean Energy Deployment,” also known as “PACE-D.”

The notice listed three key components of the project: (1) Improved end use energy efficiency; (2) Increased supply of renewable energy and adoption; and: (3) Accelerated deployment of cleaner fossil technologies and management systems.

Other than stating that the focus will be on “creating enabling environment by strengthening policy and regulatory institutions, increasing finance and enhancing institutional and human capacity,” the agency revealed little else about the initiative, other than alerting industry to the anticipated release of a more detailed Request for Proposals around Sept. 6.

Source document: Solicitation #SOL-386-11-000002.

FOR COVERAGE OF RELATED ISSUES, GO TO THE MONITOR'S ENVIRONMENTAL PAGE.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.

Contract Further Entangles Nation in Global, Peruvian, and World Bank Enviro Agreements

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday awarded a $39 million contract to Chemonics International, Inc., to help the Government of Peru to "measurably improve forest governance and environmental management, conserve sustainable tropical forest landscapes, and increase forest-based livelihoods in Peru in the context of implementing the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) and other international agreements."

According to the project Statement of Work (Solicitation #SOL-527-10-000007), the U.S. and Peru in 2006 initially signed an Environmental Cooperation Agreement (ECA) “that provides a framework for enhancing bilateral environmental cooperation between the Parties aimed at protecting, improving, and preserving the environment, including the conservation and sustainable use of their natural resources."

As part of the ECA, the nations also agreed to establish an Environmental Cooperation Commission (ECC), which must:

define a Work Program, establishing specific goals, objectives and areas for cooperation in a way that reflects national priorities of each Party. In addition, the Sub-Committee on Forest Sector Governance was created to facilitate cooperation between the parties and to provide a forum for the parties to share views and information on any matter arising under Annex on Forest Sector Governance of the PTPA. The Sub-Committee, chaired by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for the United States and the Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) for Peru, is to be composed of governmental representatives of both Parties…

In addition to coordinating efforts with the Peruvian forest authorities and the Ministry of Environment, Chemonics likewise will coordinate efforts with the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility in helping Peru to reduce emissions.

Chemonics will provide this assistance potentially over five years, beginning with a three-year base period and followed by two possible option years. (Contract Award #AID-527-C-11-00002)

USAID Launches 'Clean Stoves' Project in Haiti

The creation of market demand for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves in Haiti is one of the latest endeavors to emerge from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which says the Caribbean nation’s reliance on charcoal to cook food is contributing to “climate change” and leaves the country vulnerable to catastrophic weather conditions.

Besides, Haiti’s use of the fuel is not in its best economic interests, USAID has declared.

Although USAID admittedly met with “limited success” in previous pilot projects, that is not stopping the agency from launching yet another effort to encourage the use of LPG and other efficient “biomass” stoves. Consequently, it has unveiled what is formally known as the Improved Cooking Technology Program, which seeks to influence Haitian lawmakers to develop a “regulatory framework governing technical and commercial standards” for LPG products and services, according to the Statement of Work (Solicitation #521-11-041).

USAID is looking for a contractor to sway Haitian legislators to craft such policies, but the selected vendor also will engage in tasks to cultivate LPG stove manufacturing and distribution networks in Haiti. The contractor likewise will launch a media program in Haiti to encourage participation, the SOW says.

Although the project is not directly linked to the United Nations Foundation’s Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves—which U.S. Secy. of State Hillary Clinton helped to unveil in September 2010—the USAID endeavor is “consistent with the Alliance and will contribute towards its goals,” according to the SOW. The primary worldwide goal of the U.N. initiative is to have “100 million homes to adopt clean and efficient stoves or fuels by 2020,” the document says.

USAID did not disclose an estimated cost for the Improved Cooking Technology Program.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was modified 6/16/2011. Sorry for the confusion, but the Monitor inadvertently reported on Haiti's "reliance on coal to cook food,"  rather than "reliance on charcoal." Many thanks to a reader from FreeRepublic.com for pointing out that oversight.)

SNAPSHOT: The Potential of Plants to Impart Power, Prestige, and Pride

The Monitor offers the following snapshot of various embassy gardening costs while acknowledging, to some degree, the need for nations to impress a desired image upon friends and foes alike around the globe.

A sampling of U.S. Embassy landscaping/gardening contracts awarded, listed by location and cost. All amounts are in U.S. dollars:

Chambesy, Switzerland

One year contract awarded to BEP S.A : $175,000 (a total that will jump to about $893,000 if all four option-years are exercised).

Kingston, Jamaica

One-year contract awarded to Manpower and Maintenance Services Ltd.: $105,000 (though it should be noted that when the State Dept. initially issued a Request for Proposals, it offered an estimated annual cost of $150,00-$300,000. Oh well, as one ex-State Dept. staffer told me, the running joke at State is "It's not real money, after all. It's taxpayer money!").

Frankfurt, Germany

One year contract awarded to Johannes Winkler: $173,000.

Baghdad, Iraq

As the Monitor's predecessor site The Peacock Report reported several years ago, the State Dept. tentatively had slated $1 million just to get the new embassy's shrubbery up to snuff, just a fraction, though, of the $177 million contract it awarded to PAE Government Services, Inc., to build and maintain the compound. Many thanks to the Centre for Research on Globalization for re-distributing that article.

NOAA Seeks Contractors to Study Russian Fishing Fleets in Bering Sea

The impact of Russian fishing fleets on the Steller Sea Lion currently is unknown—but the U.S. government is aiming to find out. Consequently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this week issued Request for Proposals (Solicitation #NMFS_RFQ_AKR110607G) seeking contractors capable of carrying out such a study in Russian waters of the Western Bering Sea. NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service hopes to identify the mortality rate of the sea lions related to Russian fishery practices in that region.

According to background information in the RFP:

Steller sea lions are listed as threatened (eastern stock) and endangered (western stock) under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Steller sea lions range across the North Pacific Ocean rim from Japan, Russia, and in the USA from Alaska to central California. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), through its groundfish observer program, conducts research on the interaction between Steller sea lions, other marine mammals, and sea birds, and the U.S. groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.

A base-year contract will be awarded from the date of the award to Sept. 30, 2012, with an Oct. 1, 2012–Sept. 15, 2013, option period.

NOAA did not provide an estimated cost of the project.  

New U.S.-Funded Mexican Environmental Program Slated for Fall -- Project Will 'Fill Gaps," Not Duplicate, Seven Other Programs

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated Aug. 13, 2012.

A major program to reduce “greenhouse gas” (GHG) emissions in Mexico -- the eighth of its kind -- will unfold in the fall, courtesy of the U.S. government. The endeavor, which is known as the Mexico Low Emissions Development, or MLED, program, is being seen as the “cornerstone” of the Obama Administration’s “global climate change” (GCC) policy for Mexico.

According to a Statement of Work (.pdf, 2.4 MB) that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor located via routine federal-database research, the aim of MLED is to reduce Mexican energy consumption, encourage the deployment of “clean energy” technologies, reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation, and hasten institutional and legislative changes within Mexico’s government.

The SOW points out that the new endeavor will complement existing U.S. environmental programs in Mexico—seven programs, in fact, that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) says it expects will “continue into the life of the MLED Program.” The selected contractor for the three-year program will “fill in the gaps” rather than duplicate the following programs:

1. The USAID/Mexico REDD+ Program (M-REDD) (procurement action in process) will address greenhouse gas mitigation actions in the forestry sector. It will focus specifically on support for Mexico’s national REDD+ strategy, policies, and institutions, while also promoting civil society engagement in REDD+ and supporting field demonstration projects that may have large scale applications.

2. The Mexico Competitiveness Program (MCP), under its Clean Energy component, works with GOM, state, and local counterparts to support clean energy generation through a combination of policy and regulatory assistance. Under its Sustainable Environmental Management component, the MCP works with GOM counterparts to help Mexico develop and implement its REDD+ strategy as well as land use strategies that seek to provide sustainable development and greenhouse gas benefits in the context of economy-wide low carbon strategies. Some GCC activities initiated under this program will be transferred to the MLED Program. (See www.procomex.org).

3. The Enhancing Capacity for Low Emission Development Strategies (EC-LEDS) Initiative, co-managed by USAID/Washington’s Global Climate Change Team and USAID/Mexico, supports Mexico’s efforts to develop long-term strategic approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while accelerating sustainable economic growth. This program involves a range of USG Agencies including the State Department, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Treasury, among others. Efforts involving Mexico and initiated under this program with funding from USAID/Washington in FY11 will be transferred to the USAID/Mexico Global Climate Change Program and incorporated into the MLED Program.

4. A Participating Agency Services Agreement (PASA) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides technical assistance to strengthen Mexico’s capacity to reduce GHG emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Assistance includes technical transfer and collaboration from the U.S. Forest Service to its GOM counterparts (CONAFOR, CONANP, etc.) to develop and implement tools and policies related to REDD+ and MRV.

5. The Alliance on Expansion of Municipal Development through Infrastructure Financing in Mexico with Evensen Dodge International supports renewable energy generation through technical assistance on financing options to Mexican states and/or municipalities that are seeking to use renewable energy for self-supply and/or export to the United States.

6. A cooperative agreement with The Council of State Governments includes activities that support policy and institutional strengthening as well as financing for renewable energy.

7. The Training, Internships, Exchanges, and Scholarships (TIES) Partnership Initiative supports relationships between U.S. and Mexican universities to address common development problems identified by Mexican higher education institutions and their public and private partners. USAID expects to sponsor university partnerships addressing climate change through this initiative.

A three-year base-period contract with two potential one-year options are expected to be awarded for the MLED program around September 2011. USAID did not disclose an estimated cost of the initiative.UPDATE: USAID on Nov. 10. 2011 revealed that it awarded -- two months earlier -- a $19.5 million contract for the project to Tetra Tech ES, Inc.