U.S. Department of State

USAID exercised "notwithstanding" authority throughout FY 2003 to waive legislation prohibiting federal agencies from employing individuals under personal services contracts (PSCs) to work in Washington. Since USAID-Washington has substantial management responsibilities for Eurasian programs, it has been necessary for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia to employ Washington-based PSCs, especially technical specialists, to ensure adequate program management.

Throughout FY 2003, the Humanitarian Programs Division of the Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE) exercised "notwithstanding authority" to award non-competitive follow-on grants to the following U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs) to provide continued emergency and transitional assistance to the Eurasian countries: Counterpart International, CitiHope, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Heart-to-Heart, International Relief and Development (IRD), Project Hope, A Call to Serve, and the World Council of Hellenes. EUR/ACE uses "notwithstanding authority" to meet emergency needs on a real-time basis, providing critically needed emergency commodities to displaced and/or suffering populations in partnership with U.S. PVOs throughout the Eurasian countries.

Throughout FY 2003, in consultation with the U.S. Coordinator of Assistance to Europe and Eurasia (EUR/ACE), the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Affairs exercised "notwithstanding authority" to implement FREEDOM Support Act-funded programs that provide assistance to police forces in the former Soviet Union, which is generally prohibited by section 660 of the Foreign Assistance Act. These programs include support for counternarcotics efforts, procurement of equipment, basic police training, academy development and human rights training for police.

As the State Department's executive agent for significant portions of the EXBS Program and after consultation with the State Department, CBP exercised "notwithstanding" authority for the following:

• expediting procurement of vehicles for EXBS advisors in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. CBP purchased vehicles to provide EXBS advisors with reliable and safe vehicles to conduct EXBS activities in their respective countries;
• expediting the procurement of radiation detection pagers for the Kyrgyz Republic;
• awarding a contract for two foreign-national personal service contractors (PSCs) to work with the EXBS advisor in the Kyrgyz Republic. "Notwithstanding authority" was utilized to waive the competitive procurement procedures, award the PSC contracts for foreign nationals in the United States, and have the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek be designated as the paying office; and
• expediting the awarding of a contract for resurfacing and repair equipment, fencing and related materials in Azerbaijan.

As the State Department's executive agent for significant portions of the Aviation / Interdiction Project (A/IP) and after consultation with the State Department, CBP exercised "notwithstanding" authority for the following:

• expediting procurement of vehicle for the A/IP advisor located in Uzbekistan. CBP purchased vehicle to provide the A/IP advisor with a reliable and safe vehicle to conduct A/IP activities in the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan;
• expediting the procurement of Ukrainian Gurza boats for Uzbekistan under A/IP. Two patrol craft will enable Uzbekistani authorities to patrol the Amu Darya River, which constitutes the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan; and
• awarding a contract for helicopters and simulators for the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan under the A/IP. The equipment will allow Uzbek and Kyrgyz Government aircraft to patrol their countries' borders.