USAID Recognizes Small Businesses at 6th Annual Conference

For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Washington, D.C. – Today, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted its 6th Annual Small Business Conference. USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah addressed over 200 small business leaders emphasizing the importance of partnering in development assistance programs. This year’s conference theme focused on “USAID and Small Businesses: Turning Challenges into Opportunities.” 

USAID collaborates with small businesses to increase innovation and provide new approaches to accomplishing mutual development objectives. Small businesses bring great enthusiasm, expertise, creativity, diversity, and an outstanding work ethic to projects and programs.  The conference provided an opportunity to broaden USAID’s partner base and highlight the Agency’s successes in working with the small business community.

“Small businesses are vital to the U.S. economy and provide critical resources that contribute to the mission of ending extreme poverty in a generation. By expanding opportunities for U.S. small businesses, we energize the U.S. economy and leverage a greater diversity of experience and expertise in development” stated Administrator Shah.

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) delivered the keynote address.  Special guest speakers included Jane Campbell, Staff Director and Chief Counselor for the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, and Joseph Jordan, Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy at the Office of Management and Budget.

USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg presented the Agency’s first “USAID Small Business of the Year” award to Social Impact for their support of 20 USAID missions in developing their strategic plans to align with host country priorities.  Social Impact was founded in 1996 with a desire to make international development more effective in improving peoples’ lives. 

The highlight of the conference was the "Lunch with the Leaders" segment in which small business representatives met informally with senior USAID, Department of State and the Millennium Challenge Corporation Officials.