Scott Covert

Scott Covert serves as Executive Officer for USAID/Cambodia, overseeing the strategic execution of procurement activities aligned with the agency’s mission to advance sustainable development through local capacity building and institutional resilience. In this leadership role, he ensures compliance with U.S. foreign assistance authorities and federal acquisition regulations while guiding the acquisition of technical advisory services, civil society strengthening initiatives, and community-based health and environmental programs. His portfolio primarily supports contract and cooperative agreement actions that empower Cambodian institutions and civil society actors, emphasizing local ownership and long-term impact over short-term outputs. While specific contractor names are not publicly disclosed, Covert’s procurement patterns reflect a preference for partnerships with firms offering specialized technical expertise in education communication, public health outreach, and environmental governance. He engages a diverse pool of vendors, including international development consultants, local Cambodian service providers, and U.S.-based firms with regional experience, fostering collaborative, performance-based relationships grounded in measurable outcomes and adaptive management principles. Covert demonstrates a strong commitment to socioeconomic inclusion, with 20% of his acquisitions designated as Total Small Business Set-Asides under FAR 19.5, reflecting a deliberate effort to expand opportunities for small businesses in the international development sector. The remaining 80% of awards are unrestricted, allowing for broad competition while maintaining flexibility to secure high-impact technical services. His approach balances compliance with strategic flexibility to meet evolving program needs. His procurement focus is entirely concentrated under NAICS 812990 (All Other Personal Services), underscoring his specialization in procuring expert advisory services, training, research, and technical assistance rather than goods or construction. This reflects USAID/Cambodia’s emphasis on knowledge transfer, institutional strengthening, and behavior-change communication—domains requiring highly skilled, context-sensitive professionals rather than commoditized solutions.