Overview - The PSU Project

The CIDA-Egypt Program Support Unit (PSU) is a bilateral project that is well integrated into the overall management framework of the CIDA-Egypt Program. It is designed to provide timely, efficient, and effective technical, logistical and administrative support to the Canada-Egypt Development Cooperation Program. Through a competitive bidding process, a contractual agreement between the Canadian Embassy in Egypt and the Local Executing Agency (LEA), Environmental Quality International (EQI) was first signed in 1992 to institute the PSU. EQI continued as the LEA for the PSU through two additional, consecutive bidding processes in September 2000 and March 2007. The current contract is expected to end in 2012.     

As a result of the changes in CIDA at the Corporate Level and transition of the Egypt Program into a Country of ‘Modest Presence’ with a considerably reduced budget, a Forward-Looking Assessment (FLA) of the Program was conducted during FY 2008-2009. The LFA report recommended an Operational Review of the PSU to assess the type and modality of professional and support/logistics service delivery provided to the CIDA-Egypt Program under the new strategic orientation of CIDA. Consequently, the PSU has undergone modification in its structure, focus, expected results, planned activities, required staff resources, and budget allocations since the contract between CIDA and EQI was signed in March 2007.