The Professional Services Council has submitted comments on the U.S. Agency for International Development’s proposed new policies on digital information management to support the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the agency’s foreign assistance missions.
Stephanie Kostro, executive vice president for policy of PSC, said in a statement published Wednesday the national trade association supports the intent of the proposed rule to increase efficiency and enhance the use of data and other forms of digital information across USAID’s programs and operations.
“PSC recognizes both the value of digital information in international development programming and those privacy concerns related to gathering, using, and storing such information,” Kostro said.
“It is worth noting that several countries in which the United States engages in development activities currently have non-democratic governments,” she continued.
According to Kostro, such governments may not be receptive to data-related security requirements established by USAID and its implementing partners and therefore it is critical to carefully develop data policies for IPs that lead programs in health, education, human rights, environment and other fields.
She also noted that complicated submission requirements may put a burden on small business IPs that lack personnel and financial resources to comply with multiple, complex submission rules.
