John Loongo

John Loongo serves as an Acquisition and Assistance Specialist at USAID/Zambia, where he leads the planning, solicitation, and award of technical assistance and professional services to advance sustainable development outcomes. His role is central to the agency’s mission of building local capacity in public health, agricultural resilience, and digital governance through evidence-based programming. Loongo manages a portfolio of non-construction acquisitions under the Federal Acquisition Regulation, primarily focused on professional, scientific, and technical services that support data-driven decision-making, health information systems, and supply chain transparency initiatives. He works closely with technical units to align procurement strategy with program objectives, ensuring compliance with U.S. government acquisition policies and USAID’s development effectiveness standards. Loongo collaborates with a diverse range of contractors, including international consulting firms, local Zambian technical service providers, and global NGOs with proven expertise in health systems strengthening and digital governance. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based contracting, outcome-oriented deliverables, and rigorous vendor evaluation using technical merit and past performance criteria. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages firms with demonstrated experience in public health data analytics, agricultural extension services, and institutional capacity building. Loongo’s contracting activity reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions issued without socioeconomic set-asides. This reflects USAID/Zambia’s strategic focus on technical excellence and local partner sustainability over socioeconomic preferences, prioritizing capability and alignment with mission outcomes over demographic-based award criteria. His primary procurement focus is on NAICS 541990—All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services—encompassing services such as health information system design, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, digital governance architecture, and supply chain logistics consulting. He routinely procures specialized technical assistance to support the implementation of integrated health information platforms, malaria and tuberculosis control programs, and data modernization efforts across Zambian public institutions.