EVENT SUMMARY
The Nepal Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) Study Tour was the second part of a two-part Training Activity under U.S. Trade and Development Agency's (USTDA) Global Procurement Initiative: Understanding Best Value. TWG organized and facilitated a customized study tour to the United States for 16 senior procurement officials from the Government of Nepal. The 16 delegates included nine members from the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO), three members from the Ministry of Finance, two members from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, one member from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and one member from the Ministry of Urban Development. The goal of the Study Tour was for the delegation to learn about procurement practices at the U.S. federal, state, and local levels. Its focus was on learning different procurement models that have been used at various levels of government and have been very successful in driving innovation and producing better results for governments.
The Nepal Study Tour lasted 14 calendar days and included visits to Washington, D.C. and Boston, MA. The delegates attended a total of 19 meetings during the Study Tour. Highlights included meetings with World Bank, the City of D.C.’s Department of General Services, the Virginia & Maryland Departments of Transportation, the Boston Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and many more. TWG also organized two days of GPI training at the USTDA offices in Arlington, VA, which were taught by GPI technical specialists and a professor from GW University.
TWG played an instrumental role in delivering the delegates with a memorable and productive experience. The team members organized all logistics including meals, transportation, hotels, and interpretation, and incorporated special tourist opportunities for the delegates along the way. One of the most notable parts of the Study Tour was attending a dinner hosted at the Nepali Ambassador’s Residence.
TWG SERVICES PROVIDED:
-Managed travel arrangements for all delegates and staff
-Arranged invitation letters for delegates
-Sourced hotels for delegates and staff in Washington D.C. and Boston, MA
-Created event signage and graphics to use for the GPI training
-Created and sourced printing for delegate binders
-Collected and distributed all presentations/meeting materials to delegates
-Organized all delegate meals with restaurants, hotels, and caterers
-Conducted pre- and post- surveys to gauge delegate interests and acquire delegate feedback
-Organized thank you letters for delegates and host organizations
-Arranged a certificate ceremony for the delegates at the end of the tour
