USAID's Invest Activity Mobilization Plan

Chemonics International, the Activity's implementing partner, has a strong presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through several USAID-funded projects and has the procedures and processes in place to rapidly mobilize essential staff, identify office space, and establish essential operations. The Activity is finalizing the recruitment of two key personnel positions: the Managing Director (MD) and Investment Facilitation Lead. The MD candidate, Lucine Le Moal, has accepted her offer, bringing over 20 years of experience in finance. The Investment Facilitation Lead position has three leading candidates, each possessing the skills and acumen to lead the investment advisory technical team. Both key personnel will provide essential strategic vision, management, and day-to-day contributions across all three Activity objectives. The Activity is structured with elements of an investment advisory firm to ensure efficiency, results, and sustainability. The MD will play the role of CEO, managing the budget and strategy of the investment facilitation team (IFT), Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL), and operations teams. The Investment Facilitation Lead will assume the role of chief investment officer (CIO) and manage the investment pipeline and the day-to-day tasks of the IFT. Non-key personnel will be recruited through transparent and open competition, with job ads available publicly for all technical and operational positions. CrossBoundary will mobilize a small but effective team with both Congolese roots and international finance experience to support specific transactions. The IFT will be complemented by Chemonics' support unit of operational and administrative professionals who will be responsible for ensuring adherence to USAID and Chemonics finance, procurement, and compliance policies and procedures. The Activity has mobilized a Start-Up Specialist who will manage the operationalization of the Activity remotely from the U.S. while long-term staff are recruited and onboarded. The Start-up Specialist is responsible for overseeing recruitment, establishing a running office, ensuring the Activity adheres to the Government of the DRC's laws and regulations, setting up financial and accounting systems, and supporting quick start activities. The Director of Finance and Operations will travel to Goma for two months to serve as the Activity's first boots on the ground. They will complete all start-up tasks that must be completed in person, including identifying a list of suitable offices, opening a bank account in Goma, conducting an inventory of materials and equipment suppliers, and managing temporary office and transportation services. The Activity's Project Management Unit (PMU) is in place to provide project management support to the DRC-based team at no direct cost to the Activity. The PMU is comprised of a Director, Manager, and Associate who are responsible for overseeing execution of the Activity and adherence to the contract. The Activity's main office will be located in Goma, taking advantage of the city's thriving business community and decent infrastructure to access the target regions. The Activity has already identified office space options, including the ACCELERE! 1 project's recently closed Goma office. The start-up team will immediately work out of the Chemonics-implemented Famine Early Warning System Network's (FEWS NET) office in Goma, and in the short-term may identify temporary office space in a Goma hotel conference room as other personnel members are onboarded. The Activity will also consider locating an office in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, to engage with public officials and other stakeholders to collaborate on strengthening the business enabling environment for investment. A Kinshasa office will also facilitate engagement with businesses and stakeholders to explore investment pipeline opportunities outside of Eastern DRC or the greater Kinshasa area. The Activity will identify business develop service (BDS) providers that could play an important role in capacity building for firms, investment advisory, accounting and audit services, and general consulting services. If possible, the Activity will seek to co-locate office space with BDS providers to provide continual mentorship and allow partners to observe the investment advisory team's full process in identifying, structuring, closing, and monitoring investment deals.