USAID Solicitation and Use of Political Economy Analysis by Contractors .

The purpose of this research is to inform the work of USAID and contractors on PEA as a tool for TWP to increase development programs’ impact.

This report is a retrospective analysis of the implementation of political economy analyses (PEAs) solicited by USAID to assess whether PEAs are an effective tool to increase the impact of development programs. PEAs are commonly used within thinking and working politically (TWP) approaches, which seek to significantly improve development impact by understanding and responding to political dynamics. The report’s findings are based on a quantitative analysis of 226 USAID solicitations; nearly 50 interviews with USAID staff, chiefs of party (COPs), and other relevant practitioners; and an analysis of seven PEAs.