Jonathan Banco

Jonathan Banco serves as a Contracting/Agreement Officer for USAID/Afghanistan (720306), where he is responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions supporting the agency’s mission of sustainable development and institutional capacity building. He oversees the solicitation, award, and administration of technical assistance contracts and cooperative agreements aligned with governance, economic growth, education, and health sector reforms. His work ensures compliance with FAR, ADS, and U.S. foreign assistance regulations, facilitating expert-led interventions through transparent, accountable contracting practices that advance U.S. foreign policy objectives in a complex operational environment. While no specific contractor relationships are currently identifiable in the dataset, Banco engages with a diverse pool of professional service providers, including international consulting firms, local Afghan implementing partners, and U.S.-based technical assistance organizations. His procurement approach emphasizes performance-based outcomes, requiring rigorous proposal evaluations and post-award monitoring to ensure alignment with USAID’s strategic goals and accountability standards. He fosters collaborative vendor partnerships grounded in technical excellence, cultural competency, and adaptive program implementation. Banco’s contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 85.7% of acquisitions issued without set-aside designations, consistent with USAID’s emphasis on global competitiveness and technical merit. However, he consistently supports small business participation, with 14.3% of awards designated as total small business set-asides under FAR 19.5, demonstrating a balanced commitment to socioeconomic objectives without compromising program effectiveness. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), encompassing a broad range of technical advisory, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity-building services. He also regularly procures environmental consulting services under NAICS 541620, reflecting USAID/Afghanistan’s emphasis on climate-resilient infrastructure and natural resource management. His expertise centers on securing high-impact, evidence-based technical services that strengthen Afghan institutions and promote long-term development outcomes.