In 1998, Meridian won its first USAID award as part of the global project Commercial Marketing Strategies (CMS).  Meridian pioneered many new and innovative approaches to expand private sector involvement in USAID FP/RH projects through public and private partnerships and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.  Meridian helped design and implement social marketing projects that included the private sector (often referred to as the “Manufactures Model”, identifying opportunities for increasing contraceptive security and project sustainability.  Meridian, as the Technical Leader for “Partnerships with Pharmaceuticals”, negotiated and implemented social marketing projects with pharmaceutical firms including an initiative with Organon in Brazil (Injectable); Wyeth and Schering (Oral Contraceptives), Pharmacia (Injectable) in Morocco; and HRAPharma (Emergency Contraceptives) in Africa.

The mandate for CMS was to increase the use of quality family planning and other health products and services through private sector partners and commercial strategies.  Other partners on the CMS project included Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Prime), Abt Associates and Population Services International (PSI).