Development Alternatives Inc.

Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) is a development consulting company based in Bethesda, MD, USA.

DAI acted as a conduit for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) (through the Office of Transition Initiatives) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED} funds to the Venezuelan opposition to president Hugo Chavez. Furthermore, it was instrumental along with NED affiliated organizations for financing black propaganda on Venezuelan private network TV during the general strike in 2002.  Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show that DAI was required to keep certain personnel in Venezuela and had to consult with USAID about staff changes.  Philip Agee, a former CIA officer, suggests that this is merely a cover for what passed for CIA operations in the past [Agee, op. cit. (transcript here)].

In 1990, Experience International Inc. was purchased by Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI) and operated as that company's Agriculture and Agribusiness Division. 

Development work in Iraq
"DAI and the International Organization for Migration are jointly implementing the USAID Office of Transition Initiatives' Iraq Transition Initiative program. In March 2003, IOM received $200,000 and DAI received $473,253 to prepare for the implementation of the ITI program, which provides in-kind grants designed to respond to community needs and support political stabilization. As of Oct. 20, 2003, the contract had a total value of $35.5 million." 

Federal contracts
According to the Center for Public Integrity, when all Post-war Contractors were tanked by Total Government Earnings, DAI ranked 25th receiving $362,695,000 in federal contracts from 1990 through fiscal year 2002. 

Personnel and Directors

 * Tony Barclay – President and CEO
 * James Boomgard – Senior VP, Bethesda Operations
 * Robert Dressen – VP Banking and Financial Services
 * Dennis Fransen – CFO
 * Max Goldensohn – Senior VP, Field Operations
 * Kathleen Haithcock – Senior VP, Human Resources
 * Betsy Marcotte Group Vice President, Agriculture and Natural Resources
 * Michael Morfit – Group VP, Democracy and Governance
 * Joan Parker – Senior VP, Organizational Learning
 * Bruce Spake – Group VP, Crisis Mitigation and Recovery
 * Edwin Stains – Group VP, Agriculture and Natural Resources
 * James Packard Winkler – Group VP, Economics, Business, and Trade
 * Said Abu Hijleh – Managing Director, DAI Palestine
 * Eduardo Marques Almeida – Managing Director, DAI Brasil
 * Errol Benvie – Managing Director, ECIAfrica
 * Neil Parison – Managing Director, Bannock Consulting
 * Source

Related SourceWatch

 * Donald R. Sherk
 * Lara Goldmark Senior Development Specialist for DAI
 * Colleen Green microenterprise specialist for DAI

Contact

 * DAI Headquarters
 * Development Alternatives, Inc.
 * 7250 Woodmont Avenue Suite 200
 * Bethesda, MD 20814
 * USA
 * Tel: (301) 718-8699
 * Fax: (301) 718-7968
 * Website: www.dai.com

External Resources

 * Dennis Bernstein, Philip Agee, Former CIA agent speaks on Venezuela, Flashpoints, 14 March 2005. (find transcript here)
 * Eva Golinger, "The proof is in the Documents: The CIA was involved in the coup against Venezuelan President Chavez", Venezuelafoia.info, Date Unknown.
 * Experience, Inc.: Overview of the Company", Accessed June 2006.
 * Neil Gordon, "Windfalls of War: Development Alternatives Inc.", The Center for Public Integrity, Accessed June 2006.