40 years of DAI

household word. USAID had commissioned DAI
and another firm to do a “stocktaking” of the
many and various efforts to assist people owning
and running very small businesses. Such
businesses usually had only one or two employees
and participated in the informal economy—
that is, not licensed, not keeping books, and not
paying taxes.
For more than four months, Boomgard comanaged
the microenterprise stocktaking with
a brilliant economist from the other firm, but the
study fell seriously behind schedule, and the
USAID officers supervising the work became
seriously worried. Barclay asked them to give
Boomgard sole authority to complete the study,
promising them that DAI would absorb any
additional costs if it ran over budget, and assuring
them that they would be fully satisfied
with the final product. Boomgard delivered, and
the guarantee was fulfilled. In the process, he
became convinced that when the next multiyear
microenterprise research and development
opportunity came around, DAI could win the
contract.
One day late in 1988, Boomgard invited
Mickelwait and Barclay to lunch and laid out
his idea. It would require his full-time attention
over several months and a significant proposal
investment, and it was something of a gamble,
since the economist’s firm had managed the
predecessor contract. Nevertheless, he said, “I
would like to have your blessing to establish DAI
as a leading player in this field.” Mickelwait and
Barclay did not have to consider long. “Go for
it,” they replied.
The stocktaking report, which had been widely
read, was certain to influence USAID’s RFP,
because it highlighted areas where further “action
research” should be undertaken. To prepare
for it, Boomgard assembled a team in DAI and
worked closely with experts from such institutions
as ACCION International, which had been
involved in Latin American microlending since
the 1970s, and Michigan State University, where
much of the leading academic work on small
and micro enterprises was being done. The
RFP for Growth and Equity through Microenterprise
Investments and Institutions (GEMINI)
looked much as Boomgard had expected. After
Jim Boomgard
(center) led DAI’s
successful efforts
in the field of
microenterprise
development. Here
he is shown with
Maria Otero, then of
ACCION International,
and Doug Salloum
of the Calmeadow
Foundation.
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