In February 2021, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) appointed Crown Agents as its Interim Procurement Agent for both Anglophone and Francophone countries.

MCC’s mission is to reduce poverty through economic growth. The MCC achieves this by providing targeted grants called “compacts” to lower income countries.  Countries which become eligible for or a recipient of an MCC compact are assessed against their peers using a standard set of 20 indicators which measure the country’s demonstrated commitment to just and democratic governance, economic freedom, and investments in its people.  The design of MCC compacts is led by the recipient countries in close partnership with the MCC.  Each MCC board-approved compact becomes a bilateral government-to-government grant from the U.S. government and most compacts are valued well in excess of $100 million.  Compacts are designed to fund specific programs targeted at reducing poverty and stimulating economic growth.

As the MCC’s Interim Procurement Agent, Crown Agents will support governments in multiple countries that are in the very final stages of developing and receiving MCC board approval for their compact funding proposal.  Initially, Crown Agents may be called upon to support countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Timor-Leste, and Tunisia.

Crown Agents role will be to manage multiple processes, compliant with the MCC guidelines, to procure goods and services that will support the rapid establishment and equipping of the host government entities that will receive the MCC compact.  These procurements will be country specific and may span identifying and leasing of permanent office space for the host government team that will manage the compact, architectural services to modify office space, a construction firm for office rehab, and/or acquisition of some initial operational equipment and supplies. All of these procurements will be managed by Crown Agents on behalf of MCC.

Amanda Willett, President & Chief Executive Officer, Crown Agents USA, comments: “Crown Agents is honored to have been selected by the MCC for this important role and is looking forward to supporting MCC compact-eligible countries.  Having worked on the MCC-funded Malawi threshold program, which supported Malawi to become eligible for its first compact, this award which will help set multiple countries up for successful compact implementation feels especially meaningful and exciting.” 

The contract will last for up to five years and could operate in any country where the MCC is active.

About Crown Agents

Crown Agents is an international development company headquartered in the UK which collaborates with governments to accelerate self-sufficiency and prosperity for their communities, businesses, institutions and countries. The company works in some of the most difficult contexts in the world, focusing on the most vulnerable in society.

Last year Crown Agents reached over 36 million people across 60 countries, with expertise in Public Sector Transformation, Humanitarian & Stabilisation, Procurement reform, Last Mile Supply Chain, Health System Strengthening and Training & Professional Development.

Incorporated in 1998, Crown Agents USA has a track record providing technical assistance and support to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the United States Department of State (DOS), the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Visit www.crownagents.com for further information.

Media contact

Anna Schuesterl, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager: comms.team@crownagents.co.uk

About the Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC)

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. Government agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time-limited grants and assistance to poor countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, from fighting corruption to respecting democratic rights.

Learn more about MCC at www.mcc.gov.