Getting Involved In Global Development

Australia is blessed with an incredible pool of talent and experience, across a broad range of industries, and it is this expertise that could provide significant and sustainable benefits into the communities where a development initiative is targeted.

The challenge for many firms and individuals wishing to participate in development activities is in understanding the intricacies of the process to secure involvement. Activities through agencies such as the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, are usually let through a public, competitive tendering process.

Adding to this challenge is the fact that in almost all cases, the process is different for each agency.

Myth that the development industry is different.

Well of course it is, as are all industries different clients, different products, different channels to market, different cultures, different environments, different risks etc.

What makes it the same is the need to ensure client needs are met, if not exceeded, and that products and services are as desired/needed, not imposed.

So how do you get involved? Is it luck? It is skill? Is it people, products or services?

All and more I am sure.

A key step often required is the need to demonstrate experience, understanding, value, sustainability of strategies etc to those assessing a tender.

Reality Check - Successful tenders must be compliant to the requirements of the request, must be price competitive, and need to find the balance between the technical requirements of the response and the selling nature of the process.

One of the most important aspects of development initiatives is their ability to produce sustainable outcomes into the communities within which the activities take place. Consequently, learning from past activities assists to shape the style of future initiatives.

For firms or individuals seeking participation, understanding how such learning could modify development approaches is a critical step in determining the type and level of involvement to target.

Fact learning from past activities continues to shape future interventions.

The Development Market Today

The following points are some key observations about the directions [approaches] being taken in the provision of development assistance. These directions have the potential to impact on any strategy organisations and individuals might adopt to enter, maintain, or increase their involvement:

Funds are being diverted from government aid agencies to other government departments for sector-specific programs.

There is a continuing trend to devolve more decision making to the offshore post of the donor country, away from the central headquarters.

An increase in donor co-ordination and collaboration where, for example, the USA [through USAID] and Australia [through AusAID] might align program approaches to avoid duplication and other associated impediments, into a sector-wide approach.

A trend seeing more assistance being aligned to foreign policy where, for example, security and regional stability could influence aid disbursement.

Bilateral donors are opening their markets, allowing for individuals and organisations to compete for once closed opportunities.

There is an increasing trend for a move to larger activities, such as sector-wide approaches, as opposed to specific project interventions.