J. Zeb Simpson

J. Zeb Simpson serves as a key procurement lead within the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Kenya Mission at the American Embassy in Nairobi, where he manages complex development-focused acquisitions aligned with U.S. foreign assistance priorities. His responsibilities encompass the full lifecycle of contracts supporting governance, public health, economic resilience, and social behavior change initiatives across East Africa. He specializes in procuring professional and technical services that enable locally led development, ensuring compliance with USAID’s flow-down requirements and the principles of partner-led programming. His acquisitions typically involve performance-based, results-oriented contracts designed to build institutional capacity and foster sustainable outcomes in fragile and high-risk environments. Simpson’s contractor relationships are primarily with international and local professional services firms delivering technical expertise in management consulting, program design, and behavioral science interventions. He works closely with a diverse array of vendors, including U.S.-based consulting firms, regional African implementers, and specialized technical service providers, often coordinating with USAID’s implementing partners to ensure alignment with mission objectives. His procurement approach emphasizes flexibility, adaptive management, and performance accountability, with a preference for firms demonstrating deep contextual knowledge and proven track records in East African operations. Simpson’s contracting patterns reflect a strong orientation toward open competition, with 94.4% of awards issued under non-set-aside authorities. Only 5.6% of acquisitions are reserved under the Local Area Set-Aside provision (FAR 26.2), indicating a strategic focus on maximizing technical capability over geographic preference. While small business participation is not the primary mechanism, his portfolio occasionally includes qualified small businesses through competitive unrestricted solicitations, particularly those with specialized expertise in development programming. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), reflecting demand for multidisciplinary technical assistance in governance, health systems strengthening, and economic development. He also regularly procures services under NAICS 541611 and 541618 for management consulting and strategic planning, as well as 541490 for specialized design services supporting communication and behavior change campaigns. His domain expertise centers on complex, evidence-based interventions requiring high levels of analytical rigor and adaptive implementation.