Jerome T. Conway

Jerome T. Conway serves as a Contract Specialist with the U.S. Agency for International Development/Afghanistan (USAID/Afghanistan), where he plays a pivotal role in executing the agency’s mission of advancing sustainable development and institutional capacity building. He is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions, from requirement validation and solicitation development to contract award and administration. His acquisitions primarily support technical assistance programs in governance, education, health systems, and civil society empowerment, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and USAID’s foreign assistance directives. Conway’s work directly enables mission-critical interventions by securing expert-led services that align with U.S. foreign policy objectives in complex operational environments. Conway collaborates with a diverse array of professional service providers, including international consulting firms, technical implementation partners, and local Afghan institutions. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, his contracting patterns reflect a preference for firms with demonstrated expertise in development programming, adaptive management, and cross-cultural implementation. He fosters long-term vendor partnerships grounded in performance accountability and compliance with U.S. government standards, ensuring continuity and quality in program delivery across Afghanistan’s evolving operational landscape. Conway’s procurement strategy reflects a strong orientation toward open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions conducted without set-aside designations. This reflects the unique operational context of USAID/Afghanistan, where the availability of certified small businesses—particularly 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB entities—is limited, and the urgency of mission needs prioritizes access to specialized, globally experienced contractors. While socioeconomic preferences are not applied, his approach remains fully compliant with FAR and FAR Part 19 requirements. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), which encompasses technical advisory services, monitoring and evaluation, institutional strengthening, and capacity-building support. He also procures general government support services under NAICS 921190, including logistics, administrative coordination, and program management. His expertise centers on securing high-impact, knowledge-intensive services that drive measurable outcomes in fragile and conflict-affected environments.