In July 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Recognizing that the policies of many bureaus and offices within USAID and State are relics of the Cold War and compete directly with one another or provide redundant and ineffective aid, the secretary mandated a wholesale review of the institutions’ programs and competencies. The stated goal of the one-year QDDR process is to make State and USAID more agile, responsive and complementary to achieve U.S. foreign policy goals in the 21st century.
At the same time that the QDDR process got underway, President Obama issued a Presidential Study Directive (PSD) charging the National Security Council and National Economic Council to undertake a full-scale review of the U.S. government’s foreign assistance framework, from military to police security assistance, from trade policies to development assistance. It is expected that the QDDR will be informed by the PSD process, which is scheduled to conclude in January 2010 with a report submitted to the president.
InterAction’s Response
InterAction has set up working groups co-chaired by members of InterAction’s Task Force on Foreign Aid Reform (TFFAR) to interface with the U.S. government QDDR task forces listed below. In addition, 28 InterAction CEOs are working closely with InterAction President and CEO Samuel Worthington on the various congressional and administration-led foreign aid reform processes. InterAction’s foreign aid reform work is staffed by Todd Shelton and Filmona Hailemichael.
QDDR Phase II Areas of Review
Task Force 1: Embassy 2.0
TF1 is examining all aspects of our bilateral presence overseas and developing recommendations that will enhance our ability to engage with broader audiences beyond capitals. It is seeking ways to strengthen the ability of Chiefs of Missions to marshal all USG resources to advance U.S. interests and shape policy. This includes improving collaboration between State and USAID and upgrading our diplomatic presence to be more nimble and flexible.
Task Force 2: Acting Regionally
TF2 is developing recommendations that will enhance our ability to act regionally in order to address those issues that transcend bilateral solutions. It is considering organizational changes and new platforms both in the field and in Washington that will facilitate a regional interagency approach to transnational challenges.
Task Force 3: Multilateral Engagement
TF3 is assessing how to strategically engage with multilateral institutions that play key roles in achieving global objectives. It is examining both past and future engagement with multilateral organizations given the impact of global trends. It is considering changes to State and USAID workforce plans that will incentivize staff and prepare them to excel in working at all levels with multilateral organizations.
Task Force 4: Non-State Partnerships
TF4 seeks to improve our ability to engage with non-state partners, including NGOs and the private sector, in order to amplify U.S. foreign policy and development cooperation initiatives. It is developing streamlined and consistent templates for initiating partnerships and examining areas for better whole of government coordination in pursuing non-state partnerships, including public-private partnerships.
Task Force 5: State/USAID Collaboration
TF5 is developing concrete recommendations on how State and USAID can collaborate more effectively with each other and enhance unity of effort across the USG to produce better foreign policy outcomes. In addition to identifying principles, structures, and incentives for effective collaboration across all of State and USAID’s work, the Task Force is focusing on ways to produce collaborative outcomes in economic growth, democratic governance, and human rights.
Task Force 6: Foreign Assistance Effectiveness
TF6 is developing recommendations for specific mechanisms, procedures, and institutional practices to facilitate consistent implementation of aid effectiveness principles throughout foreign assistance programs. Analysis is focusing on ways to work with other donors to reduce transaction costs on partner governments and reduce fragmentation and unsustainable short-term approaches. The Task Force is examining the incorporation of aid effectiveness principles into business processes in order to effectively empower host governments, promote country ownership, build local capacity, and elevate the role of women and girls in society. This includes managing for results and fulfilling commitments to transparency and accountability.
Task Force 7: Innovation in Development and Diplomacy
TF7 is focusing on requirements needed to develop internal research and implementation capacity that supports innovation in development and diplomacy. It is examining incentives for and obstacles to innovation within State and USAID, as well as how best to support the use of new research or innovative breakthroughs made by external actors.
Task Force 8: Preventing and Responding to Conflict and Instability
TF8 is examining joint State-USAID capabilities for preventing and responding to conflict and instability. Analysis is focusing on defining a set of missions to drive effort and planning, establishing a robust expeditionary capability to address a broad spectrum of conflicts and instability, elevating and institutionalizing prevention in policy and decision-making, and proposing options for organizing and resourcing State and USAID at headquarters and in the field to address conflict and instability.
Task Force 9: Human Resource Policies and Practices
TF9 is developing recommendations to strengthen human resources policies and practices within State and USAID to meet 21st century challenges and opportunities. It is examining ways to enhance in-house expertise, including adjusting workforce planning models to reflect new skill set needs identified through the QDDR and expanding training and rewards systems for career staff. It is also developing a strategy to address immediate mid-level staffing gaps at State and USAID.
Task Force 10: Contracting and Procurement Reform
TF10 is examining ways to rebuild core capabilities and expertise within State and USAID to appropriately balance insourcing and outsourcing to achieve foreign assistance objectives. It is considering approaches to reducing reliance on large procurements; broadening our partner base to enhance competition; and improving contract design, management, oversight, and implementation for improved performance and results. The Task Force is also assessing how to strengthen and increasingly utilize host country systems to implement U.S. assistance activities in order to promote sustainable development.
Task Force 11: Platforms and Services
TF11 is developing recommendations for optimizing administrative support services overseas and consolidating management platforms – including interoperability of information technology, facilities, and security platforms. It is examining a single, flexible, secure information technology platform with common applications that support collaboration and information sharing.
Task Force 12: Strategic Planning, Budgeting, and Accountability for Results
TF12 is developing recommendations for joint strategic planning, budgeting, and accountability for results at State and USAID, driven by strong analytic capabilities and field input. It is examining ways to generate both long-term forecasts and near-term strategy products that tie national priorities to specific State and USAID guidance for resource planning, risk assessment, and performance measurement for increased accountability for results across foreign assistance and diplomatic program areas.
Gender Integration Team
The QDDR is incorporating gender analysis in recommendations involving policy formulation, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, and implementation, demonstrating the commitment and visible leadership of State and USAID in gender integration and empowerment of women and girls. A standing group of gender experts meets regularly, and members of that group participate in each task force to ensure that technical knowledge of gender issues is infused into QDDR analysis.
Connected Initiatives: The QDDR is coordinating with ongoing institutional efforts related to Public Diplomacy, Security Assistance Review, and Priority Sector Selection.
InterAction QDDR Co-Chairs
Dennis Shin, Catholic Relief Services
Jessica McGlyn, World Wildlife Fund
John D. Lawrence, International Foundation for Electoral Systems
Serge Duss, International Medical Corps
Carlisle Levine, CARE
John Coonrod, The Hunger Project
Kathleen Campbell, Save the Children
Jeremy Konyndyke, Mercy Corps
Mike Walsh, InsideNGO
Randy Tift, World Vision
Corbin Lyday, Heifer International
Official QDDR Sites
