PHA-Exchange> USAID Proposes Rule Changes

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Ronald Labonte <rlabonte at uottawa.ca>

*From:* Global Health Council [mailto:salbert at globalhealth.org]


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August 22, 2007



*Global Health Council Opposes Implementation
of the Proposed Partner Vetting System at USAID *


The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) proposed a sweeping
information-gathering and recordkeeping measure, the Partner Vetting System
(PVS), to vet individuals, officers or other officials of nongovernmental
organizations who apply for USAID contracts, grants, cooperative agreements,
or other funding or who apply for registration with USAID as Private and
Voluntary Organizations (PVOs).

The Partner Vetting System would require all organizations that apply for
USAID contracts, grants and cooperative agreements to submit detailed
information about each employee including full name, date and place of
birth, government issued identification information, address, phone and fax
numbers, country of origin and/or nationality, citizenship, gender and
profession. *The proposed measure was printed in the Federal Register on
July 17. Notice, Privacy Act System of Records, Federal Register, Vol. 72,
No. 136, July 17, 2007, Pages 39041-39044. *View specific
guidelines<
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The rule change was issued in an effort to improve processes for making sure
that USAID funds are not being used to support activities or individuals
"associated with terrorism." There is no evidence that USAID funds are
supporting terrorist organizations or terrorist activities through NGOs.

The Council believes that the Partner Vetting System is overly burdensome
for NGO partners, unnecessary, and compromises privacy rights and due
process as envisioned. Please see the Council's Statement on PVS for sample
language to include in your letter to the USAID Chief Privacy Officer. View
statement<
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Please send your message opposing the Partner Vetting System as soon as
possible. The deadline for comments is Aug. 27, 2007 - the same date PVS is
scheduled to take effect.

Please address your message to:

Mr. Philip M. Heneghan
Chief Privacy Officer
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Office 2.12-003
Washington, D.C. 20523-2120

E-mail: privacy at usaid.gov
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