Project assistance completion report : International Executive Service Corps

A.I.D. has provided support to IESC since its inception as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Government and the U.S. business community. A.I.D. support provides over 2/3 of IESC's annual budgetary requirements and is essential for the funding of IESC's worldwide operations. The project came under the jurisdiction of the Bureau for Private Enterprise (PRE) in FY82. PRE encouraged IESC to coordinate its services with USAID Missions and to help Missions develop and implement their private sector strategies. To this end, IESC has negotiated numerous Mission-funded grant agreements. IESC's services have been directed to the private sector of host countries and in some cases to privatizing state-owned enterprises. Two programs developed under the PRE project -- American Business Linkage Enterprise and the Joint Venture Feasibility Fund -- were combined and funded as a separate project, the Trade and Investment Services Project. An impact evaluation produced in 1988 documents high Mission and client regard for IESC services. positive effects in many economic sectors, including textiles, agribusiness, banking, utilities, chemicals, and land development. The lessons learned from this project have helped PRE to develop several new kinds of project assistance. PRE has decided to continue to fund IESC at a level of about $5 million per annum. A follow-on (9400012) began in FY89. Cost benefit analysis will be used to better determine project strategy.