Original Broadcast Date: 03/15/2026
Presented by Maximus
Public-private partnerships play a critical role in helping the United States expand infrastructure development abroad while strengthening American economic opportunities at home. Thomas Hardy, deputy director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), says the agency focuses on helping partner countries turn promising infrastructure ideas into projects that are ready for investment.
USTDA serves as what Hardy describes as a “first mover” in the U.S. government when it comes to supporting infrastructure development in emerging markets. The agency’s mission centers on helping countries move from an initial concept to what Hardy calls a “bankable project,” meaning a project that is ready to attract financing and move forward.
Partnership with the private sector is essential to making that process work.
“What we do can’t be done without the brains, knowledge and technologies of U.S. industry,” Hardy says.
U.S. companies frequently approach USTDA with technologies they want to deploy in emerging markets around the world. Through its grant-funded programs, the agency helps reduce the early-stage risk associated with launching large infrastructure projects. By providing support during the planning and development phases, USTDA helps transform good ideas into viable investments.
That early-stage support is especially important in sectors tied to global supply chains and economic development. Hardy notes that critical minerals represent one of the agency’s core priorities, reflecting broader national concerns about securing reliable supply chains.
The focus extends beyond minerals, however. USTDA’s work also covers a range of emerging and strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and energy systems.
“It’s those investments that the U.S. Trade and Development Agency makes that are designed to advance our shared strategic priorities for infrastructure development,” Hardy says.
The benefits are not limited to the countries receiving infrastructure support. By helping launch projects in emerging markets, USTDA also creates opportunities for U.S. companies to export goods and services.
Those exports, Hardy explains, support American jobs and economic growth.
“When we wrap the red flag around American companies and go in side by side,” he says, the U.S. government demonstrates that it stands behind American technology and expertise.
For partner countries, that support represents a trusted relationship. Hardy says many governments are looking for reliable partners when making long-term infrastructure investments. By working alongside American companies and providing early project support, USTDA helps those partners make more informed decisions about where and how to invest.
“They’re looking for a trusted partner,” Hardy says.
USTDA’s involvement often begins with helping countries evaluate potential infrastructure projects before they commit significant resources. That evaluation stage allows partner nations to better understand the options available to them before building major infrastructure systems such as rail networks, ports, or undersea fiber optic cables.
The agency’s priorities are closely aligned with broader national policy goals. Hardy notes that USTDA’s program areas are shaped by presidential executive orders and administration priorities.
Energy development represents one example. Hardy explains that the agency is launching a gas exports initiative aimed at helping partner countries develop the infrastructure needed to purchase American natural gas. USTDA is also supporting the introduction of American technologies in small modular nuclear reactors, helping countries evaluate whether those systems could be part of their energy mix.
Other initiatives involve advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and drone systems. Hardy points to one executive order that calls for USTDA to play a leading role in expanding drone technology deployment in emerging markets.
Those efforts include projects in regions such as West Africa and Papua New Guinea, where drones can be used to deliver medical supplies and support critical services.
While USTDA works closely with international partners, the agency also places strong emphasis on selecting the right private-sector collaborators. Hardy says successful partnerships depend on companies that are willing to operate in challenging environments.
“Emerging markets are not easy to work in,” he says.
Companies participating in USTDA-supported projects must demonstrate both a viable technology and a willingness to take on the risks associated with developing new infrastructure abroad. They also need local partners who are prepared to adopt and invest in those technologies.
Inside the agency, new technologies are also helping improve how projects are evaluated and managed. Hardy says USTDA is increasingly using artificial intelligence tools to support its internal decision-making processes.
AI helps the agency conduct due diligence more efficiently and accelerate project evaluations. The agency is also exploring how to build a native AI environment that could further improve internal analysis and planning.
At the same time, USTDA is modernizing some of its own systems to support better data analysis. Hardy explains that the agency is redesigning its management information systems so that teams can better track projects and evaluate outcomes.
Looking back at past investments is an important part of that effort. By analyzing which projects succeed and which do not, the agency can refine its strategies and improve future decisions.
For USTDA, success is measured through a clear metric: the economic impact generated by its investments. Hardy says the agency closely tracks what it calls the export multiplier—the amount of U.S. exports generated by each dollar spent supporting infrastructure development abroad.
“For every dollar we’re investing… we’re generating over $220 in U.S. exports,” Hardy says.
That return, he notes, represents a significant benefit for the American economy while also supporting infrastructure development for international partners.
As global competition for infrastructure investment continues to grow, Hardy says USTDA’s approach—combining public-sector support with private-sector innovation—positions the United States as a strong and trusted partner around the world.