James Berscheit

James D. Berscheit serves as Deputy Executive Officer at USAID/South Africa, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping and overseeing the agency’s strategic procurement initiatives to advance sustainable development across Southern Africa. In this capacity, he ensures that acquisition activities align with USAID’s mission of building local institutional capacity, strengthening public health systems, and promoting environmental conservation. Berscheit oversees the solicitation and award of professional services contracts that support technical assistance, governance reform, and civic engagement programs, frequently coordinating with program officers to translate development objectives into compliant, results-driven contracting actions. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Berscheit’s procurement patterns indicate a reliance on a diverse pool of professional services firms with demonstrated expertise in development programming, policy analysis, and capacity-building implementation. His working relationships emphasize performance-based contracting, outcome-oriented deliverables, and long-term partnership models with vendors capable of delivering adaptive, context-sensitive solutions in complex operating environments. Berscheit’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of acquisitions designated as “No Set-Aside,” indicating a focus on merit-based selection rather than socioeconomic set-asides. This approach prioritizes technical proficiency and programmatic alignment over certification-based preferences, though small businesses remain eligible and actively compete under full and open competition. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), encompassing consulting, monitoring and evaluation, and technical advisory services. He also regularly procures business support services under NAICS 561499 and administrative management consulting under NAICS 541611, reflecting a demand for integrated, cross-cutting expertise in governance, institutional strengthening, and program management. His domain expertise centers on public health resilience, environmental stewardship, and civic participation initiatives across Southern Africa.