Training

2011 PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Overview

This course familiarizes participants with various project monitoring and evaluation systems and tools that focus on results in international development. The course offers participants both a conceptual framework and practical skill development. 

Course Outline 

Results-Based Management (RBM) in International Development

• Understanding and distinguishing between monitoring and evaluation in the context of RBM
• Results Chain: inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts for development projects, programs or strategies
• Importance of feedback and lessons learned
• Role of partners and stakeholders
• Significance of "soft" assistance
• Implications for country offices

Planning for and Executing on the Monitoring and Evaluation Processes

• Key principles for overall work planning
• Purpose and timing (including ex-post) of monitoring and evaluation
• Involving key partners and stakeholders
• Building monitoring and evaluation teams with defined roles and strong capabilities
• Establishing a hierarchy of project objectives
• Defining scope of monitoring and evaluations
• Selecting analytical tools, methodologies or approaches enabling measurement and attribution
• Importance of data quality and collection and baseline data
• Measuring and assessing project/program output relevance, efficiency and effectiveness in achieving outcomes
• Measuring and assessing level, sustainability, innovativeness, replicability and scalability of impacts from project/program outcomes on physical and financial assets; human assets; social capital and people's empowerment; food security; environment and communal resource base; institutions, policies and regulations
• Budgeting
• Managing monitoring and evaluation processes
• Anticipating and resolving problems

Tools, Methods and Approaches Facilitating Monitoring and Evaluation

• Performance indicators and common rating systems 
• Logical framework approach (Log Frame)
• Theory-based evaluation 
• Formal surveys
• Rapid appraisal methods
• Participatory methods
• Field visits
• Public expenditure tracking surveys
• Economic analysis, including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis
• Project evaluations
• Impact evaluation analysis
• Evaluation and tracking plans
• Annual reviews and reports
• Comparative overview of other tools, methods and approaches used by leading global institutions

Learning and Improvements

• Learning from evaluative evidence and applying recommendations from feedback
• Publication of evaluative evidence and feedback material
• Improving evaluation feedback
• Knowledge management
• Institutionalization of learning

Course Advisor

Mr. Robert Ross is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with more than 30 years of experience serving as a senior executive and officer in both private industry and consulting organizations. He focuses on improving business process execution, increasing profitability, and mitigating business risk exposure. Mr. Ross recently provided consulting services in support of USAID/US State Dept. initiatives to strengthen contract and project management capacity in several ministries for the Government of Iraq.

2012 PROJECT MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Overview

This course familiarizes participants with various project monitoring and evaluation systems and tools that focus on results in international development. The course offers participants both a conceptual framework and practical skill development. 

Course Outline 

Results-Based Management (RBM) in International Development

• Understanding and distinguishing between monitoring and evaluation in the context of RBM
• Results Chain: inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impacts for development projects, programs or strategies
• Importance of feedback and lessons learned
• Role of partners and stakeholders
• Significance of "soft" assistance
• Implications for country offices

Planning for and Executing on the Monitoring and Evaluation Processes

• Key principles for overall work planning
• Purpose and timing (including ex-post) of monitoring and evaluation
• Involving key partners and stakeholders
• Building monitoring and evaluation teams with defined roles and strong capabilities
• Establishing a hierarchy of project objectives
• Defining scope of monitoring and evaluations
• Selecting analytical tools, methodologies or approaches enabling measurement and attribution
• Importance of data quality and collection and baseline data
• Measuring and assessing project/program output relevance, efficiency and effectiveness in achieving outcomes
• Measuring and assessing level, sustainability, innovativeness, replicability and scalability of impacts from project/program outcomes on physical and financial assets; human assets; social capital and people's empowerment; food security; environment and communal resource base; institutions, policies and regulations
• Budgeting
• Managing monitoring and evaluation processes
• Anticipating and resolving problems

Tools, Methods and Approaches Facilitating Monitoring and Evaluation

• Performance indicators and common rating systems 
• Logical framework approach (Log Frame)
• Theory-based evaluation 
• Formal surveys
• Rapid appraisal methods
• Participatory methods
• Field visits
• Public expenditure tracking surveys
• Economic analysis, including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis
• Project evaluations
• Impact evaluation analysis
• Evaluation and tracking plans
• Annual reviews and reports
• Comparative overview of other tools, methods and approaches used by leading global institutions

Learning and Improvements

• Learning from evaluative evidence and applying recommendations from feedback
• Publication of evaluative evidence and feedback material
• Improving evaluation feedback
• Knowledge management
• Institutionalization of learning

Course Advisor

Mr. Robert Ross is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with more than 30 years of experience serving as a senior executive and officer in both private industry and consulting organizations. He focuses on improving business process execution, increasing profitability, and mitigating business risk exposure. Mr. Ross recently provided consulting services in support of USAID/US State Dept. initiatives to strengthen contract and project management capacity in several ministries for the Government of Iraq.

2011 COUNTRY PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS

Overview

This course is designed to introduce participants to the strategies, approaches and tools for developing effective country procurement systems. It is increasingly recognized that using a country's own institutions and systems, including procurement, strengthens the country's sustainable capacity to define, execute and account for its policies to its citizens.            

Course Outline 

Overview of Public Procurement Reform and Country Procurement Systems 

• Examination of trends in public procurement reform
• Maximizing synergies of procurement reform and other initiatives
• Implementing a reform strategy to address common weaknesses in public procurement systems
• Assessing procurement system architecture and performance measurements
• Mobilizing financial and other resources to strengthen procurement systems
•  Case studies
•  Negotiating and drafting exercise (participants will engage in mock negotiation exercises)

 Legislative and Regulatory Framework 

• Main components of legal and regulatory framework for a public procurement system
• National and International models for developing procurement laws
• Establishing mechanisms for independent review of bidder complaints
• Important ancillary legislation and regulations: planning and budgeting; advance notice of opportunities; public access to information; contract administration; anti-corruption; e-procurement
• Enforcement and sanctions
• Trade and economic integration agreements in public procurement 

 Institutional, Operational and Organizational Resources 

• Main institutional, operational and organziational issues for a public procurement systems
• Designing the functions of a central policy office for a procurement system: comparative analysis of national models
• Informational systems and management
• Financial control and audit in public procurement systems
• Collection and reporting of data on procurement activities 

Professional Procurement Workforce 

• Main features of a professional workforce for a public procurement system
• Establishing qualification and certification requirements for a procurement workforce
• Role and staffing of procurement units
• Development of a code of ethics
• Establishing performance incentives and performance reviews
• Designing and institutionalizing public procurement curricula and training 

 Introducing new Procurement Policies and Practices 

• Features of a sustainable procurement program including "Green Procurement"
• Strategy for implementing e-procurement
• Innovative techniques of developing framework agreements
• Mainstreaming public procurement systems 

Course Advisor

Don Wallace is Chairman of the ILI and a law faculty member of the Georgetown University.   As U.S. Chief Delegate to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ("UNCITRAL"), Professor Wallace was a key participant in drafting the UNCITRAL Model Law on Procurement of Goods, Construction, and Services, and is internationally known as a procurement law expert. He has advised foreign governments on public procurement and was involved in drafting the procurement rules of USAID.

2012 COUNTRY PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS

Overview

This course is designed to introduce participants to the strategies, approaches and tools for developing effective country procurement systems. It is increasingly recognized that using a country's own institutions and systems, including procurement, strengthens the country's sustainable capacity to define, execute and account for its policies to its citizens.            

Course Outline 

Overview of Public Procurement Reform and Country Procurement Systems 

• Examination of trends in public procurement reform
• Maximizing synergies of procurement reform and other initiatives
• Implementing a reform strategy to address common weaknesses in public procurement systems
• Assessing procurement system architecture and performance measurements
• Mobilizing financial and other resources to strengthen procurement systems
•  Case studies
•  Negotiating and drafting exercise (participants will engage in mock negotiation exercises)

 Legislative and Regulatory Framework 

• Main components of legal and regulatory framework for a public procurement system
• National and International models for developing procurement laws
• Establishing mechanisms for independent review of bidder complaints
• Important ancillary legislation and regulations: planning and budgeting; advance notice of opportunities; public access to information; contract administration; anti-corruption; e-procurement
• Enforcement and sanctions
• Trade and economic integration agreements in public procurement 

 Institutional, Operational and Organizational Resources 

• Main institutional, operational and organziational issues for a public procurement systems
• Designing the functions of a central policy office for a procurement system: comparative analysis of national models
• Informational systems and management
• Financial control and audit in public procurement systems
• Collection and reporting of data on procurement activities 

Professional Procurement Workforce 

• Main features of a professional workforce for a public procurement system
• Establishing qualification and certification requirements for a procurement workforce
• Role and staffing of procurement units
• Development of a code of ethics
• Establishing performance incentives and performance reviews
• Designing and institutionalizing public procurement curricula and training 

 Introducing new Procurement Policies and Practices 

• Features of a sustainable procurement program including "Green Procurement"
• Strategy for implementing e-procurement
• Innovative techniques of developing framework agreements
• Mainstreaming public procurement systems 

Course Advisor

Don Wallace is Chairman of the ILI and a law faculty member of the Georgetown University.   As U.S. Chief Delegate to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law ("UNCITRAL"), Professor Wallace was a key participant in drafting the UNCITRAL Model Law on Procurement of Goods, Construction, and Services, and is internationally known as a procurement law expert. He has advised foreign governments on public procurement and was involved in drafting the procurement rules of USAID.