USAID Contracts NUMARK as Implementing Partner for Laos Energy Security (LES) Activity
August 12, 2020—The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded to NUMARK, a prime contractor under its Energy II IDIQ contract, the Laos Energy Security (LES) Activity task order. The award results from a competitive, small business set-aside solicitation.
USAID’s LES Activity is a 5-year, $13.2 million program to support the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in its efforts to enhance the security and reliability of its energy sector, thereby contributing to sustainable social and economic development.
Through the LES Activity, USAID will provide technical assistance in Laos focused on 1) improving energy sector planning; 2) strengthening the policy, legal, and regulatory framework within the energy sector; and 3) improving the performance of the state-owned electric utility. USAID’s Fact Sheet on the Laos Energy Security Activity is here.
As USAID’s implementing partner for LES, NUMARK will hire a team of primarily Lao nationals to conduct the program, thus enhancing self-reliance within Laos. US-based experts will provide short-term technical assistance to NUMARK’s Lao team. The program also includes a $1 million budget designated for Grants Under Contract which will be prioritized for and competed among Lao firms and organizations.
NUMARK and its subcontractors bring USAID not only wide-ranging expertise in clean energy development, energy security, and energy sector planning and governance, but also resources in grants management, training, gender engagement, communications, and project management. The team has successfully implemented numerous USAID-supported energy projects around the world.
The USAID LES Activity is a key component supporting the United States’ comprehensive partnership with the Lao PDR, aiming to improve the country’s energy security, support economic development, promote sustainable development of the Mekong River, promote the use of clean power resources, and support the Lao PDR in the Mekong-U.S. Partnership. It is also a part of the US Government’s Clean EDGE Asia Initiative. This initiative supports expanded access to energy, promotes greater diversity in sources of energy generation, enhances regional energy trade and integration of energy markets, and strengthens energy security throughout the Indo-Pacific region. More information on the Clean EDGE Asia Initiative is here.
NUMARK, founded in 1991, supports public and private sector clients in the United States and around the world in the areas of international energy development, nuclear safety, environmental protection, and sustainable energy strategies.
