Workshop Summary: Navigating MCC’s New Framework For Public-Private Partnerships”

Panelists:

Ms. Courtenay Engelke, Director, Investment and Risk Management, MCC

Mr. Tom Campbell, Senior Director, Private Sector Development, MCC

Mr. Samuel Asante Mensah, Chief of Party (Ghana), Adventist Development and Relief Agency

Moderator:

Mr. Tim McCoy, Vice President for Business Development, Corporate Council on Africa

The Wednesday afternoon panel began with a broad overview of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U. S. government agency dedicated to poverty reduction through economic growth. Panelists discussed MCC’s unique attributes, including selectivity in partnering with countries, country-led design and implementation of compacts, and emphasis on results, transparency and accountability. To date, MCC has signed 23 compacts valued at $8.5 billion.

The conversation then turned to MCC’s increased interest in private sector engagement, including procurement opportunities and MCC’s new “Invitation to Innovate” Annual Partnership Solicitation (APS). APS is a competitive, grant-based approach for private sector groups, including businesses, non-profits, foundations, universities, and multinational groups, to share expertise and appropriate technologies that add to or complement MCC compacts. Such grants would range from $50,000 to $2 million. The first step in the APS process requires submitting a concept paper to allow MCC to determine project feasibility. This will provide the agency with a platform for presenting its partner countries with innovative and unique opportunities. Additionally, this will allow MCC to continue to lead in the development space. Through this new partnership mechanism, MCC seeks to “deepen and broaden engagement in the private sector.”  After questions from the audience, panelists invited them to visit grants.gov and MCC.gov for more information.

By Tawana Jacobs, associate director of public relations at InterAction