Private enterprise technical resources assistance

The Government of Jordan"s Ministry of Planning will implement the project, which will consist of numerous individual activities to be identified and funded as the needs arise. To help USAID/J meet Agency-wide objectives and its own private sector development objectives, the project will fund short-term activities, the majority of which will be designed to stimulate investment, as a complement to Project 2780265, Industrial Development. A number of consultancies, training programs, and other activities have already been identified and include, inter alia: assistance to the Jordan Businessman"s Association or another new organization to represent private sector interests in public policymaking; TA and training for a new exporters" association; TA for feasibility studies on new products and markets; TA to firms through the U.S. International Executive Service Corps; promotion of U.S./Jordanian joint ventures; and assistance to a Bedouin Women"s Handicraft Center. In addition to addressing constraints susceptible to short-term interventions, the project will provide Project Design and Support funds to support five several private sector projects to be funded by USAID/J over the next five years: Private Services Sector, Small Entrepreneur Development, Private Develoment Bank, Agricultural Marketing, and Export Promotion. The project will promote policy dialogue by identifying issues to be addressed and by funding specific studies on policy issues directly affecting the private sector (e.g., licensing; interest rates). In addition, pre-implementation activities for projects identified in the CDSS for Jordan but not yet obligated will be funded. Project grant funds will also be used to buy into centrally or regionally funded projects (e.g., the Market Technology and Access Project) to enable USAID/J to pursue its private sector development strategy more quickly. Activities will be directed to private enterprises of all sizes, including individuals (notably skilled migrant workers lacking capital), and will give particular attention to women-owned enterprises/cottage industries.