OAG Team mail box

Idrees Raheem serves as an Acquisition and Assistance (A&A) Specialist with the U.S. Agency for International Development/Afghanistan (USAID/Afghanistan), where he plays a critical role in executing technical assistance and program support acquisitions aligned with the agency’s mission of sustainable development and institutional capacity building. He manages a diverse portfolio of non-construction contracts focused on professional, scientific, and technical services, ensuring compliance with federal acquisition regulations and USAID’s development objectives. His work directly supports governance, education, health, and civil society initiatives through expert-led interventions, requiring precise alignment of contractor capabilities with complex on-the-ground operational needs. Idrees Raheem collaborates with a broad spectrum of contractors, primarily professional services firms specializing in technical advisory, monitoring and evaluation, and institutional strengthening services. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages with domestic and international consultants, think tanks, and implementation partners with demonstrated expertise in Afghan context-specific challenges. His contracting approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, rigorous due diligence, and alignment with USAID’s local capacity-building priorities, fostering long-term, mission-driven vendor relationships over transactional engagements. Mr. Raheem’s procurement patterns reflect a strong preference for open, unrestricted competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted under no set-aside classifications. This underscores a strategic focus on maximizing technical merit and global expertise rather than socioeconomic set-asides, consistent with USAID/Afghanistan’s need for specialized, high-caliber talent in a complex operating environment. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB set-asides, he remains attentive to qualified small firms that meet stringent technical requirements. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), encompassing program evaluation, policy analysis, and technical training services. He also occasionally procures services under NAICS 721110 (accommodations for field staff) and NAICS 926140 (agricultural marketing regulation), reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of USAID’s programming. His domain expertise centers on development economics, institutional reform, and adaptive management in fragile states.