Raphael Metzger

Raphael Metzger serves as a Contracting Officer for USAID/Afghanistan (720306), responsible for managing the full lifecycle of procurement actions that support the agency’s mission of sustainable development and institutional capacity building. He oversees the acquisition of professional services critical to governance strengthening, economic resilience, education, and health system strengthening across Afghanistan. His portfolio primarily consists of complex, performance-based contracts for technical assistance, program management, and advisory services, ensuring alignment with U.S. foreign assistance objectives and compliance with FAR and USAID’s Acquisition Regulation. Metzger works with a diverse array of international and domestic professional service providers, including consulting firms, research institutions, and technical implementation partners with deep regional expertise. His contracting approach emphasizes performance outcomes, risk mitigation, and compliance with U.S. government standards for transparency and accountability. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, he consistently engages firms with proven track records in post-conflict development environments, fostering long-term partnerships grounded in deliverable-based performance metrics. Metzger’s procurement strategy reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of his acquisitions issued under no set-aside categories. This reflects the operational realities of delivering complex, high-stakes development programs in Afghanistan, where specialized expertise often requires large, globally experienced firms with established logistical and security infrastructure. While small business participation is not formally prioritized through socioeconomic set-asides, he ensures fair competition and adherence to all applicable small business outreach requirements under FAR Part 19. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), reflecting his specialization in institutional capacity building, policy advisory, monitoring and evaluation, and cross-sector technical support. He routinely procures services related to public financial management, civil society engagement, and results-based program design, requiring deep domain knowledge in international development frameworks and donor compliance protocols.