RASSA
and PASA Slides
A Case Study
 Interagency Cooperation with each other and
with for Profit and Non-Profit Sectors
The Spirit and Intent of RSSAs and PASAs
 Within a
USDA/USAID
Partnership
 Transfers can exist
throughout the
Federal
Government
 And between
Agencies and
Cooperants
Historical Perspective
 USDA and President Truman’s “Point Four”
Program

administered the agricultural training and technical
assistance programs
 1950, Technical Cooperation Administration
(TCA) created

Predecessor to USAID
Historical Perspective
 1955, International Cooperation Administration (ICA)

All foreign economic development efforts were consolidated

USDA expertise and institutional resources were still critically
needed

As a result, ICA and USDA drew up a major agreement to
facilitate cooperation in technical assistance, training, and
information dissemination
Historical Perspective
 Passage of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
and the creation of USAID

A new General Agreement in 1966 laid the framework
for cooperative relationships
Historical Perspective

USAID recognized "…the unique personnel
resources, capabilities and experience of the
Department”


sought to use this expertise through
cooperation
USDA recognized "...its responsibility, within
its authority, to contribute toward U.S.
foreign policy by participation in foreign
assistance programs"
Historical Perspective
 General Agreement between USDA and
USAID

Based on the premise of a partnership between USDA
and USAID

emphasis on joint planning, coordination and
consultation
Historical Perspective-2
 General Agreement between USDA and USAID

Agreement affirmed new partnership mechanisms to
access USDA expertise:
Participating Agency Service Agreements (PASAs)
Resources Support Services Agreements (RSSAs)
The Government to Government Agreement

The agreement is not like a contract (more like grant)

establishes operational guidelines and a spirit of
cooperation to link the institutional resources of two
government agencies in accomplishing U.S. foreign
assistance goals

“Cooperative Agreement”
Higher Education and Development for Archaeology and
Environmental Health Research SUNY at Stony Brook
 Cooperative Agreement
Performance Management Cooperative Agreement
1979-1991
 United States Agency for International
Development
 National Association of Schools of Public
Affairs and Administration (Louis A. Picard
Director, 1984-1986)
 DPMC- Development Planning Management
Center- University of Maryland)
 IDMI- International Development Management
Institute U.S. Department of Agriculture
Coffee Break
 Ten Minutes
USAID RSSA/PASA Partners
 United States Department of Agriculture
 U.S. Department of Labor
 Environmental Protection Agency
 U.S. Department of
Health and Human
Services
Other Foreign Aid Agencies
 Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
 Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
(PEPFAR)
 Department of Defense
 Department of State
Authorizations for PASAs and RSSAs
 Sections 621(a) and 632(b) of the Foreign
Assistance Act, 1961

Enables USAID officers to secure "technical
assistance...in the field of education, health, housing, or
agriculture..." by utilizing "…to the fullest extent
practicable, the facilities and resources of the Federal
agency or agencies with primary responsibilities for
domestic programs in such fields...“

Key: Professional Expertise
Authorizations for PASAs and RSSAs
 Amendment to Section 621of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1962

Participating Agency resources must be
particularly or uniquely suitable for technical
assistance;

Are not competitive with private enterprise;
and

Can be made available without interfering with
domestic programs
Authorizations for PASAs and RSSAs
 Economy Act (No Competition Clause)

Requires both the Secretary of Agriculture to certify that
assisting USAID is in the best interest of the
Government and USAID's Administrator to ascertain
that "…the ordered goods or services cannot be provided
as conveniently or as cheaply by a commercial
enterprise."
Re-Authorizations for PASAs and RSSAs
Over the Years
 Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB)
Circular A-76

USAID can enter into PASAs or RSSAs with USDA
only if the following conditions are met:
RSSAs and PASAs
USDA resources and expertise are used for technical
assistance;
 USDA can provide technical assistance better than
USAID, the private sector or another Federal agency
 USDA has a formal program for managing excess
personnel capacity that allows staff to provide assistance
under RSSAs and PASAs; and
 USDA services are not competitive with private
enterprise.

Possible Foreign Aid RSSA Cooperants
Authorizations for PASAs and RSSAs
 Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB)
Circular A-76

Before a RSSA or PASA can be approved and issued, a
detailed justification must be provided on USDA's
unique suitability, and all other A-76 requirements
must be met
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 USAID’s Handbook 12
 “Spirit and Intent” Cover the Competition issue


Defines PASAs as agreements with other Federal
agencies for specific services or support tied to a specific
project goal and performed within a definite time frame
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 PASAs: Overseas Assignments (PSCs- Personal
Services Contracts)

Normally issued by Missions for support outside the
U.S., but can be used to carry out a specific goal or goals
of an AID/W project

Effectively the two terms have become interchangeable
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 RSSAs

Agreements funded in AID/W for continuing general
support assistance, usually provided in an AID/W office,
and have no specific, readily measurable goals to be
accomplished within a set time period
 In the 1990's, most USDA/USAID agreements
have been RSSAs
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 Intent and Spirit of PASAs and RSSAs

Strengthen the partnership between USAID and
USDA by fully utilizing Departmental competence,
resources and experience and exchanging critical
information and knowledge to benefit both agencies
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 Staff Responsibilities
 RSSA and PASA staff should have a clear
understanding of USDA's unique capabilities as the
world's largest source of technical expertise n
agriculture, natural resources management, and
related areas
 RSSA staff should cooperate and interact with USDA
agency employees having mutual interests whenever
possible
“Spirit and Intent” & Responsibilities in
Implementing PASAs and RSSAs
 Staff Responsibilities

Sharing RSSA knowledge with Departmental officials
can positively impact U.S. agriculture and USDA goals

can ultimately advance development efforts
RSSA Human Resources
 USDA hiring for RSSA positions:
 Recruits from Departmental agencies and land-grant
university network first, drawing on its unique pool
of expert resources nationwide
 When USDA makes decision, USAID is asked to
concur
RSSA Human Resources
 USDA hiring for RSSA positions:

Once appointed, RSSA employees receive technical
advice and guidance from their USAID Project
Officer, but their official supervisor is at USDA

In Practice they work for Receiving Agency
Human Resources

RSSA performance appraisals are determined by the
USDA supervisor


With input from USAID Project Officer
RSSA employees' annual work plans should also be
developed consistent with USDA policies and
objectives
In Summary
 Through collaboration and cooperation,
benefits will continue for U.S. foreign
assistance as information and knowledge
flows from USDA to USAID

Equally important - benefits will flow from
USAID to the Department

Critics: “Sweetheart Arrangements”
In Summary
 RSSA employees play a crucial role in
facilitating this exchange and are key to
sustaining the long-standing partnership
between the two agencies
 Intra-government transfer of skills and
money is a neglected component of foreign
aid.