Belay Teame

Belay S. Teame serves as an Acquisition & Assistance Specialist at USAID/Ethiopia (Agency Code: 720663), where he plays a pivotal role in designing and executing procurement strategies that align with the agency’s mission of advancing sustainable development and humanitarian outcomes. His responsibilities include managing non-construction acquisitions under assistance instruments and contracts to support technical assistance, institutional capacity building, and program implementation across public health, education, and governance sectors. Belay specializes in procuring professional services that enable localized expertise, ensuring that USAID’s interventions are both technically sound and contextually responsive. He works closely with program officers, financial managers, and legal advisors to ensure compliance with federal acquisition regulations and USAID’s automated systems. Belay collaborates with a diverse range of international and local service providers, including technical consultants, research institutions, and implementation partners with deep regional experience. His contractor relationships are built on performance-based outcomes, with an emphasis on organizations capable of delivering adaptive, evidence-driven solutions in complex operational environments. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages firms with demonstrated capacity in health systems strengthening, data analytics, and community-based programming. Belay’s procurement approach reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions classified as “No Set-Aside.” This indicates a focus on selecting the most qualified providers regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing technical merit and programmatic impact over set-aside classifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB. His primary procurement focus lies under NAICS 541990—All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services—encompassing a wide array of services including monitoring and evaluation, behavioral health support, training and capacity development, and policy advisory services. Belay’s expertise centers on securing high-impact technical assistance that enhances Ethiopia’s public institutions and strengthens local ownership of development outcomes.