IBI, Global Insights - Local Solutions

What IBI, Global Insights - Local Solutions does

IBI, Global Insights - Local Solutions is an international economic development consulting firm founded in 1996 by Dr. Lucie Phillips and headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland (with an Arlington, Virginia address also listed). The firm is a woman-owned small business that operates as a USAID contractor, delivering technical advisory services across three practice areas: Economic Growth (trade facilitation, private sector development, SME support); Governance, Resilience, and Stabilization (citizen security, municipal governance); and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL platforms, third-party monitoring). Active engagements span 14+ countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia/Middle East, including flagship projects such as the $47 million USAID/Guatemala Smart and Secure Cities Project (2024-2029), the Liberia DELTA MEL platform, the Timor-Leste Trade Governance Activity, the Tanzania T-MELA Activity, and the Laos Business Environment Activity.

The company does not develop proprietary technology products; its underlying capability is human-delivered professional services augmented by subject-matter expertise in trade facilitation systems (e.g., ASEAN Single Window integration, customs modernization), MEL platforms, and public financial management. IBI pursues multi-year USAID contracts (typically 4-6 years) through competitive bidding on IDIQ vehicles, blanket purchase agreements, and direct solicitations, often in consortium with specialty subcontractors such as Social Impact (MEL), Search for Common Ground (violence prevention), Dalberg Advisors (market systems), and local firms in implementation countries. Revenue is generated through cost-reimbursable and fixed-price contracts, with pricing determined via USAID's negotiated indirect cost rate system.

In 2024, IBI was acquired by URC (University Research Co., LLC), a global leader in healthcare quality improvement, and now operates as 'IBI – A URC Company.' The acquisition expanded IBI's access to URC's global infrastructure and healthcare capabilities while preserving IBI's brand identity and client relationships. The firm employs between 101-250 international development professionals and pursues government-only clientele with no commercial distribution channels.

Name

IBI, Global Insights - Local Solutions

Legal name

IBI

Website

https://ibi-usa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IBI is a woman-owned international development consulting firm founded in 1996 and acquired by URC in 2024, delivering USAID-funded technical advisory across Economic Growth, Governance/Resilience/Stabilization, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning in 14+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Debt Relief, Restructuring & Sovereign Advisory Programs (BPADACAL)

Keywords

• International development consulting
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Economic growth advisory
• Governance and stabilization
• USAID contractor services

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. USAID Prime Contracts: IBI serves as prime contractor on USAID-funded development projects, including multi-year contracts such as the Guatemala Safe Cities Project ($47M, 5-year), Timor-Leste Trade Governance Activity, and Tanzania Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. Revenue is generated through cost-reimbursable or fixed-price contracts with USAID.
2. USAID Subcontracts: IBI operates as a subcontractor to larger development firms on some engagements, such as the Egypt MESR activity (subcontractor to DAI) and DELTA project where Social Impact serves as international subcontractor to IBI.
3. International Development Consulting Services: The company provides advisory services in economic growth, governance, monitoring and evaluation, trade facilitation, and public financial management to government counterparts and donor agencies worldwide.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IBI is an international economic development consulting firm that delivers advisory and implementation services across three core practice areas: Economic Growth, Governance/Resilience/Stabilization, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). The firm primarily contracts with USAID missions and developing-country governments to design, implement, and evaluate multi-year development programs covering trade facilitation, public financial management, business environment reform, and stabilization.

Product overview

IBI is an international development consulting firm offering three core service areas: Economic Growth, Governance, Resilience, and Stabilization, and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). The company operates as a project-based consultancy delivering USAID-funded development programs across multiple countries. Key engagements include the Guatemala Smart and Secure Cities Project, Timor-Leste Trade Governance Activity, Liberia DELTA MEL Platform, Laos Business Environment Activity, ASEAN Policy Implementation, Tanzania T-MELA, and Rwanda Boneza Ubucuruzi Activity. Following acquisition by URC in 2024, IBI operates as 'IBI – A URC Company.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Economic Growth Practice Area

Quantifiable outcome

• Philippines Bureau of Customs exceeded revenue collection targets by 104.3% in 2021, collecting over USD 12 billion; preliminary 2023 total reached approximately USD 15.79 billion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• URC (University Research Co., LLC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024URC acquired IBI in 2024, making IBI 'A URC Company.' This merger strengthens IBI's position as a USAID contractor and expands capabilities in healthcare quality improvement and international development. IBI maintains its brand identity while benefiting from URC's global resources and infrastructure.
• Social ImpactmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIBI's only international subcontractor on the DELTA Activity, bringing industry-leading expertise in methodologically sound data collection and analysis. Social Impact has decades of experience implementing MEL platform projects for USAID missions globally.
• Nunlai ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal Liberian firm supporting DELTA's gender integration across learning materials and facilitating CLA events for USAID staff and local stakeholders.
• PERT ConsultancymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLiberian local organization partnering with IBI on the DELTA internship program. Manages internship placement and professional development for aspiring MEL professionals in Liberia.
• Search for Common GroundmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor subcontractor for the USAID/Guatemala Safe Cities Project, contributing expertise in preventing violence and resolving conflict. Works alongside multiple local partners for tailored implementation.
• Vanguard EconomicsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubcontractor for USAID Feed the Future Rwanda Boneza Ubucuruzi Activity, providing economic expertise for trade facilitation and business environment work.
• Dalberg AdvisorsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubcontractor for Rwanda Activity bringing strategic advisory capabilities and market systems approach to private sector development.
• Great Lakes Media and Communication CenterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubcontractor for Rwanda Activity providing communication and media expertise for behavior change and stakeholder engagement.
• Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndonesian policy research organization collaborating with IBI on ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement readiness analysis.
• Lao Handicraft AssociationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal industry association partnered with IBI for Lao Handicrafts Festival, supporting SME digitalization and market access.
• ECODITminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementing partner for USAID Land Management Activity in Liberia, where DELTA interns gain field experience.
• Australian Border Force (ABF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU partner with Timor-Leste Customs Authority, utilized by IBI to verify declared values of imported vehicles and support revenue recovery efforts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Chemonics International: Chemonics is one of the largest USAID prime contractors worldwide with a global footprint spanning economic development, governance, and health. It competes head-to-head with IBI for USAID prime awards but at substantially greater scale and breadth.
• Abt Associates: Abt Associates is a large, diversified research and consulting firm with significant international development practice spanning economic growth, governance, and evaluation. It competes for the same USAID awards as IBI but with broader capabilities and scale.

Direct peers

• IBTCI: IBTCI (International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc.) is a mid-sized USAID contractor providing MEL, governance, and economic growth services — comparable to IBI in size, customer base, and service mix.
• Palladium: Palladium is a global development consultancy providing economic growth, trade facilitation, governance, and MEL services to USAID and other donors — directly comparable to IBI's service portfolio and target customer base.
• DAI: DAI is a global development company and one of the largest USAID prime contractors, providing economic growth, governance, and MEL services — a direct competitor to IBI across virtually all of IBI's practice areas. IBI has even served as a subcontractor to DAI on the Egypt MESR activity.
• Banyan Global: Banyan Global is a woman-owned small business USAID contractor focused on economic growth, gender, and private sector development — highly comparable to IBI in ownership designation, scale, and core service areas.
• Panagora Group: Panagora Group is a woman-owned small business USAID contractor providing monitoring, evaluation, and learning services globally — directly comparable to IBI in size, ownership profile, and MEL practice focus.
• Dexis Consulting Group: Dexis is a mid-sized USAID contractor offering governance, stabilization, and MEL services — closely matching IBI's profile as a private, mid-tier prime focused on fragile-state and developing-country programming.
• Social Impact: Social Impact is a USAID contractor specializing in MEL and evaluation services — directly comparable to IBI's MEL practice, and notably also serves as IBI's international subcontractor on the Liberia DELTA Activity, illustrating head-to-head competition for the same USAID MEL platforms.

Others

• University Research Co. (URC): URC is IBI's parent company (acquired IBI in 2024) and operates as a global health and development contractor with overlapping USAID prime contracting capabilities in MEL and quality improvement — included as a peer due to its parent/overlap relationship, though the relationship is now ownership rather than competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ibidevelopment
• YouTubevimeo.com/ibidevelopment
• Facebookfacebook.com/ibiinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1340569

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IBI, Global Insights - Local Solutions