Lauren R. Propst

Lauren R. Propst serves as an EXO (Expedited Contracting Officer) at USAID/Jordan, where she plays a pivotal role in advancing the agency’s mission of water security and institutional capacity building. Responsible for expediting the procurement of professional services, she manages time-sensitive acquisitions critical to infrastructure resilience, water loss reduction, and technical assistance programs. Her portfolio primarily focuses on engineering consulting, management advisory services, and capacity-building initiatives that support Jordanian institutions in sustainable water resource management. As an EXO, Propst leverages streamlined acquisition authorities to rapidly deploy expertise, ensuring programmatic continuity and alignment with USAID’s strategic objectives in the region. Propst collaborates with a diverse array of international and local professional services firms specializing in water infrastructure, institutional governance, and technical training. Her contracting patterns reflect a preference for experienced consultants with demonstrated expertise in hydrological systems, pump station rehabilitation, and public utility modernization. While no single contractor dominates her portfolio, she consistently engages firms with proven track records in development sector consulting, fostering long-term partnerships built on technical proficiency and adaptive program delivery. Propst’s procurement activities are exclusively conducted under non-set-aside authorities, with 100% of her acquisitions open to full and open competition. This reflects a strategic emphasis on selecting the most technically qualified providers regardless of socioeconomic status, prioritizing mission outcomes over socioeconomic preferences. Her approach aligns with USAID/Jordan’s need for specialized, high-caliber expertise in a competitive global market. Her primary procurement focus is under NAICS 812990 (All Other Personal Services), encompassing expert consulting in water engineering, institutional strengthening, and technical management. She procures services such as hydraulic modeling, infrastructure audits, training for local engineers, and performance-based management support, reflecting deep domain expertise in water security and public sector capacity development.