Under Contract

• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a contract worth more than $17 million to Development Alternatives Inc. to assist in the agency’s Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative. While the end of the country’s civil war in 2003 opened up an opportunity for citizens to become involved in the political and policy-making processes, USAID says, “effective accountability mechanisms lag behind.” The contract is directed at linking civil society organizations with other parties, citizens and local media that are engaged on similar issues and pushing for an “increased organizational capacity of targeted [civil society organizations] to participate in issue-based reforms.” 

• The Naval Sea Systems Command, within the Department of the Navy, is shelling out $10.2 million on roughly 20 oil spill response “boom platforms” and 50 oil spill response utility boats over the next five years. MetalCraft Marine won the contract to replace the aging equipment. Naval Facilities Engineering Command runs the Oil Spill Response Program, which dates back to 1974, and maintains roughly 400 boats. 

{mosads}• The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) awarded a five-year, $194,727 contract to Cengage Learning to develop a curriculum, and corresponding print and digital materials, for Advanced Placement (AP) United States history classes to be used in DODEA high schools. The materials include teacher and student guides and assessments to prepare for the actual AP exams and must be copyrighted no earlier than 2014, contract documents say. The materials must be “free of racial, color, national origin bias, age, disabling conditions, sexual, religious, and ethnic bias, and shall present a balanced coverage of multi-cultural contributions, where appropriate,” according to the statement of work.

Contract information compiled from General Services Administration data and government press releases. Send announcements about government contracts to mwilson@digital-staging.thehill.com.