Appendix A
Statement of Task from Cooperative Agreement
A Committee of the National Research Council (NRC) will assess new opportunities for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners to draw on the science, engineering, and medical resources of the nation in designing and carrying out foreign assistance programs. The assessment will recommend steps that USAID should consider in enhancing its capabilities to use these resources for addressing the challenges of international development in the years ahead. Among the recent developments of interest to USAID that will be considered are (a) the expanding science and technology interests of the Department of State and their relationship to the activities of USAID, (b) the role of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), and (c) the establishment of partnerships that link USAID with international, regional, U.S. governmental, and private sector foundations and other organizations.
This project will examine selected aspects of USAID’s activities that have benefited or could benefit from access to strong science, technology, and medical capabilities. The activities to be considered, while only a portion of the large number of relevant programs and projects, will span the full range of development assistance, humanitarian assistance, and economic support. Of special importance are programs in fields such as health care, agriculture and nutrition, energy, and the environment. Cutting across these sectors are programs directed to education and job creation as well as the strengthening of enabling technologies in areas such as information and communications.