Ross A. Hicks

Ross Hicks serves as a key procurement lead within USAID/Liberia, supporting the agency’s mission to strengthen public health systems, enhance governance, and foster economic resilience through targeted technical assistance. He manages the acquisition of professional consulting services essential to designing and implementing long-term development programs, with a focus on performance-based contracting and outcome-driven deliverables. His portfolio centers on high-impact, mission-critical engagements that require specialized expertise in institutional capacity building and sustainable development strategy. Hicks ensures compliance with U.S. foreign assistance procurement regulations while aligning acquisitions with USAID’s strategic priorities in Liberia. His contractor relationships primarily involve professional services firms offering scientific, technical, and programmatic consulting, including both large international consultancies and small, locally embedded firms. He cultivates partnerships with vendors capable of delivering adaptive management, data-driven monitoring and evaluation, and systems strengthening services. While no single contractor dominates his portfolio, Hicks consistently engages firms with demonstrated experience in Liberian context-specific challenges, emphasizing technical competence, cultural fluency, and local stakeholder engagement. Hicks demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic inclusion, with nearly half of his acquisitions competed under the 8(a) program, reflecting a deliberate strategy to empower small disadvantaged businesses. His procurement patterns prioritize opportunities for 8(a) certified firms, aligning with USAID’s broader goals of building local institutional capacity and fostering equitable economic growth. The remaining awards are competed broadly without set-aside, ensuring market competition while maintaining flexibility for mission-critical needs. His primary procurement focus lies in NAICS 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services), reflecting deep engagement with technical advisory services in public health systems, governance reform, and economic development planning. He routinely procures services related to policy analysis, performance monitoring, training design, and institutional diagnostics, ensuring that contracting supports measurable, sustainable development outcomes.