Simone Cho

Simone Cho serves as a Contract Specialist within the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Office of Management and Administrative Affairs (7200AA), where she manages the full lifecycle of professional services acquisitions aligned with the agency’s global development mission. She specializes in procuring technical advisory services that strengthen institutional capacity in partner nations, with a focus on governance reform, democratic engagement, and emergency response coordination. Her portfolio primarily consists of performance-based, fixed-price and time-and-materials contracts for consulting services, ensuring alignment with federal acquisition regulations and USAID’s strategic objectives in public sector strengthening. Cho maintains a consistent working relationship with AMD INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES LLC, a key provider of management and technical consulting services. Her procurement approach emphasizes performance outcomes and contractor accountability, fostering long-term partnerships with firms capable of delivering high-quality, context-sensitive advisory support across complex international environments. She engages with a select group of experienced contractors who demonstrate proven expertise in institutional capacity building and policy implementation. Her contracting patterns reflect a strong preference for open competition, with 80% of awards issued under no set-aside conditions, while maintaining a deliberate 20% allocation to 8(a) competed contracts. This balance ensures broad market access while intentionally advancing socioeconomic goals by incorporating certified small disadvantaged businesses into critical technical assistance programs. Cho’s procurement focus is concentrated in NAICS 541611 (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services), complemented by 541690 (Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services) and 541990 (All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services). She routinely acquires expertise in public administration reform, organizational development, and technical assistance for governance systems, ensuring USAID’s interventions are informed by evidence-based, locally adapted solutions.