I see the post was sometime ago..but for a short reply to the questions, the following is provided:

I was part of the 1st Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) initiative in Gardez in March of 2003. This initiative was designed to provide support via infrastructure development to post war Afghanistan. I worked for USAID..former LTC US Army.MOS: 11A & 38A (Civil Affairs)

USAID only uses implementing partners to move the funds from planning to implementation. At that time, IOM/International Organization for Migration had the contract. There was, unfortunately, no direct funding from the USAID implementing partner...me! The problems included: (1) IOM would not go out of Gardez due to security issues; (2) IOM had to then sub-contract to locals, hence creating multiple tiers of salaries, vehicles and such; (3) Validating contracts and administrative time could take between 4-6 months from recommendation (me) to implementation...if then.

In short, during my time in Gardez as USAID's PRT "expert", not one dollars was used for infrastructure development..no one. There were two projects ongoing...the Khwost-Gardez Hiway and a building in Khwost), but nothing else.

Most of the direct funding came from the US Army under their program. A number of projects were started and completed, but time from recommendation to funding to completion was very lengthy and would overlap units coming and going causing great consternation and chaos.

I also worked Iraq, but in another capacity...In short, the USG's current method of funding infrastructure post conflict development is flawed substantially with administrative tiers.