(RIGO) SYSTEM STRENGTHENING Quarterly Report FY 2019, Quarter 2, January 1

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REGIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (RIGO) SYSTEM STRENGTHENING Quarterly Report FY 2019, Quarter 2, January 1 – March 31, 2019

Submission Date: April 30, 2019

USAID Contract Number: 72062319C00002 Activity Start Date and End Date: November 29, 2018 to November 28, 2023 COR Name: Luis Tolley

Submitted by: Elizabeth Heller, Program Manager The Kaizen Company 1700 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Email: [email protected]

July 2008 1

RIGO SYSTEM STRENGTHENING

Contract Number: 72062319C00002

FY 2019 Quarter 2

Prepared for USAID/KEA Mr. Luis Tolley, COR Office of Economic Growth and Integration

Prepared by The Kaizen Company 1700 K St NW, Suite #440, Washington, DC 20006

This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development Kenya and East Africa Mission (USAID/KEA). The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ACBF Africa Capacity Building Foundation

COMESA The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CLA Collaborative, Learning, and Adaptation

COP Chief of Party

COR Contracting Officer’s Representative

EAC The East African Community

EU European Union

FM SME Financial Management Subject Matter Expert

IGAD The Intergovernmental Authority on Development

HICD Human and Institutional Capacity Development

ISAP Institutional Strengthening Action Plan

MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

RDCS Regional Development Cooperation Strategy

RIGO Regional Intergovernmental Organization

TOR Terms of Reference

USAID The United States Agency for International Development

Table of Contents

1. Activity Summary/Overview ...... 1 1.I Activity Description/Introduction ...... 2 2. Activity Implementation Progress ...... 3 2.1 Progress Narrative ...... 3 2.2 Activity Status ...... 6 3. Detailed Report on FY 2019 Quarter 2 Activities ...... 8 4. Stakeholder Participation and Involvement ...... 12 5. Key Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 2 ...... 12 6. Challenges/Issues for Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 2 ...... 12 7. Lessons Learned ...... 13 8. Financial Management...... 14 9. Planned Activities for Quarter 3 ...... 14

Annex I: Members of the RIGO System Strengthening Working Groups ...... 16

1. ACTIVITY OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Regional Intergovernmental Organization (RIGO) System Activity Name: Strengthening Activity Activity Start Date and End November 29, 2018 – November 28, 2023 Date: Name of Prime Implementing The Kaizen Company Partner: Contract Number: 72062319C00002 Name of Subcontractors/ Cardno Emerging Markets (Cardno) Sub-awardees: African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) East African Community (EAC) Major Counterpart Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Organizations Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Geographic Coverage Kenya, Djibouti, Tanzania, Zambia (cities and or countries)

Reporting Period: January 1 – March 31, 2019

1.1 Activity Description/Introduction

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a steady and reliable partner in Africa’s economic integration efforts. For nearly two decades, it has provided support to Regional Intergovernmental Organizations (RIGOs), including the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in Lusaka, Zambia, the East African Community (EAC) in Arusha, Tanzania, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Djibouti, Djibouti.

In order to continue to provide organizational strengthening support of these RIGOs, USAID awarded a Contract for the RIGO System Strengthening activity to The Kaizen Company (Kaizen) in November 2018. This program commenced on November 29, 2018; it is a five-year activity with a total estimated budget of US $10.28 million.

The aim of the RIGO System Strengthening activity is to achieve a demonstrable, evidence-based improvement in the organizational systems of COMESA, EAC, and IGAD; subsequently, the goal is to provide a measurable increase in each RIGO’s efficient and sustainable organizational performance. In line with USAID/KEA’s Regional Development Cooperation Strategy (RDCS), the RIGO System Strengthening activity will support each RIGO in identifying organizational strengthening needs and opportunities. This will begin with the co-formation of internal Working Groups for each RIGO, which will lead a process of performance assessments, and development and implementation of performance solutions in an array of priority areas determined by each Working Group. The priority areas include the following: Financial Management, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Strategic Planning, and Donor Coordination.

The activity, under the leadership of the Chief of Party (COP), Kapkirwok Jason, is being coordinated from Nairobi; on-site Team Leads will be based in Djibouti City, Arusha, and Lusaka at each of the RIGO’s Headquarters. The RIGO System Strengthening activity is also collaborating with Cardno Emerging Markets (Cardno) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). Additional support is provided on a needed basis by a Resource Pool Group comprising of firms with specific skills. This report represents the RIGO System Strengthening activity’s Fiscal Year 2019 Second Quarter Progress Report covering the period from January 1 to March 31, 2019.

EAC IGAD COMESA

2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

2.1 Progress Narrative

The Year One Work Plan (November 2018 to November 2019) for the RIGO System Strengthening activity outlines the sequence of action items in the implementation of the Plan. The key items include the following:

1. Launching the activity and related activities; 2. Establishing activity Working Groups; 3. Conducting performance assessments to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement; 4. Developing a Solutions Implementation Plan based on performance improvement opportunities, and improving donor coordination; and, 5. Conducting continuous Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for adaptive and improved performance.

This report covers the progress made during FY19 Quarter 2 in the implementation of these key steps.

During Quarter 1 (October – December 2018), the activities were related to activity launch. These included establishing a functional field office in Nairobi, recruitment and contracting of key personnel, orientation of personnel, establishment of contact with key partners and planning for activity inception meetings, and sharing key background and activity documents, including a draft work plan, with the RIGO System Strengthening Team Leads, Finance Officer, and Financial Management Subject Matter Expert (FM SME). During Quarter 1, the RIGO System Strengthening activity team also completed an Annual Travel Plan and the Branding and Marking Plan. Use of the Field Manual for the Nairobi, Arusha, Djibouti and Lusaka teams commenced in late Quarter 1, and will be finalized in Quarter 3.

Quarter 1 activities and results laid the foundation for Quarter 2 activities and results.

The focus of Quarter 2 included the establishment of RIGO Working Group. This is summarized in the table below and described in detail in Section 3, and the members of each RIGO Working Group are presented in Annex 1:

RIGO WG Membership, Number & Chair Date Formed COMESA 12 members representing Budget, Finance, and Administration; Internal Audit; HR; February 11, 2019 Strategic Planning; Monitoring and Evaluation; Resource Mobilization; Procurement; ICT; USAID Liaison Officer; EU Project Coordinator; Chair: Assistant Secretary General, Finance and Administration; Secretary: RIGO System Strengthening Team Lead for COMESA EAC 10 members representing Office of the Secretary General; Resource Mobilization; Finance February 19, 2019 and Administration including HR Resources; Budget; Accounting; Procurement; Internal Audit; Legal, ICT; Project Management Unit; Chair: Chef de Cabinet; Secretary: RIGO System Strengthening EAC Team Lead IGAD Four members representing Planning Coordination and Partnerships; Finance and February 4, 2019 Administration; Chair: Director, Planning, Coordination and Partnerships. Secretary: RIGO System Strengthening Team Lead for IGAD

The RIGO System Strengthening activity was designed to support each RIGO on the Journey to Self-Reliance and in accordance with USAID’s Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) approach. Within each RIGO, activities will be designed and led by RIGO-established Working Groups. The formation of the Working Groups was preceded by high-level engagement between the Chief of Party and the top leadership of the RIGOs; this was part of the effort to secure support and ownership of the Activity, including its implementation model. Once this was secured, terms of reference (TOR) for the Working Groups were developed and an inception meeting convened. At their first meeting, each WG reviewed and approved the draft terms of reference for the performance assessment.

The scope of work defined in each terms of reference for the initial performance assessments was different for each RIGO. While all three RIGOs have undergone numerous reviews and assessments in the last three years, each has unique circumstances that determined the scope of the planned performance assessment that will be conducted by the RIGO System Strengthening activity as summarized below: Lusaka, Zambia - RIGO System Strengthening COMESA – As the RIGO System Strengthening activity was launched, the COMESA Team Lead, ______(left), COMESA Secretariat signed a contract with a consulting firm, Kenmaris Services discussing the upcoming performance assessment Limited, recruited by the European Union (EU) to conduct a COMESA-wide with the COMESA WG Chair, Dr. Dev Haman.

4 capacity assessment; this is a prerequisite to the programming of its €7 million support for institutional capacity development. The scope of the EU assessment is broad, covering more areas than the RIGO System Strengthening activity. Based on discussions with COMESA and the EU, the RIGO System Strengthening activity will focus on areas that the EU-commissioned assessment did not sufficiently cover, including: Procurement, Strategic Planning, and Human Resource Management systems. RIGO System Strengthening will also review those areas not sufficiently assessed according to the COMESA Working Group, including: Financial Management, Performance Management, including Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), and Donor Coordination. Since the assessment being conducted by Kenmaris Services Limited has a larger scope, the RIGO System Strengthening activity can garner quicker results that are targeted towards key areas brought to our attention by the COMESA Working Group.

IGAD – IGAD is currently implementing the Institutional Strengthening Action Plan (ISAP) funded by a consortium of donors, now in its third phase. RIGO System Strengthening will support the ISAP approach and avoid duplicating the work of ISAP. Initial activity assessments will be limited to assessing what is outstanding from past assessment recommendations in terms of recommendations that have been actioned; mostly actioned; partially actioned and not actioned at all; understanding the reasons for the status of action of each recommendation and identifying specific actions to close performance gaps. IGAD has agreed that the RIGO System Strengthening activity’s ‘Solutions Package’ arising from this will be integrated Djibouti, Djibouti – The RIGO System Strengthening COP, into the corporate IGAD ISAP implementation plan during its mid-year ______, discussing the RIGO System review in June/July 2019. Strengthening activity with IGAD leadership.

EAC – At the request of EAC’s Working Group, RIGO System Strengthening’s assessment of EAC’s performance will cover all four areas of focus, including: Strategic Planning, Financial Management, Performance Management – including M&E – and Donor Coordination with respect to system strengthening support by different donors. The objective is to establish a baseline which incorporates the status of implementation of past assessments. By mutual agreement with EU, African Development Bank and TradeMark East Africa, the results of the assessment will form the basis for discussing joint support., Arusha, Tanzania – The RIGO System Strengthening EAC Team Lead, Elizabeth Ketchemen (left), in discussion with Godfrey Kazinduka, EAC WG member in charge of the Project Coordination Unit. 5

2.2 Activity Status

All ten key activities related to activity launch, and activity launch initiatives and deliverables have been completed. Establishment of the Working Groups has also been completed. The first and second iteration of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Plan was submitted in February and March 2019, respectively, after receiving comments from USAID. The RIGO System Strengthening team will submit a third iteration of the MEL Plan in April 2019 after additional discussions with USAID. The last column of the table below summarizes the progress status of RIGO System Strengthening.

RIGO System Strengthening Year 1 Work Plan: Summary of Progress for Q1 and Q2 (November 2018-March 2019) Objective(s)/Solution(s) Actions/Activities Results Progress Status 1. Complete Activity Launch Established program systems and operations, including financial systems, Systems and procedures procurement process, HR policies, M&E Launch activity start up established for RIGO System Completed start-up, work plan development, and Strengthening assessment team management procedures Finalize office leasing and Field office lease executed to co-locate services contract for co-location RIGO System Strengthening team at Field office arranged Completed in Nairobi with subcontractor identified premises in Nairobi Cardno Procure / rent any remaining Field office ready for operations Field office established Completed required equipment and supplies Key Personnel are confirmed, fielded, and ready to begin Mobilize, onboard, and orient Key Personnel contracted and mobilized program operations and technical Completed Key Personnel work within 45 days of contract signature TLs and SME confirmed, fielded, Mobilize, onboard, and orient On-site Team Leads and Financial and ready to begin program Team Leads and Financial Management Systems Subject Matter operations and technical work Completed Management Systems Subject Expert contracted and mobilized within 45 days of contract Matter Specialist signature All field staff contracted and mobilized, Mobilize, onboard and orient Completed - Field staff confirmed, fielded and with Kaizen Technical Director and field staff to Kaizen's USAID- training to be ready to begin program Program Manager providing training on compliant system, HICD continued as operations and technical work Kaizen's USAID-compliant financial, methodologies, quality controls necessary

6 procurement, and operational systems, HICD systems, tools, quality-control protocols, etc. Team is familiar with all relevant Review existing activity Internal and external information, initiatives, and policies as it information and resources with Completed coordination established relates to RIGO System Strengthening field staff Common understanding of the Meetings held with other relevant Completed – to be Hold meetings with key objectives, implementation implementers to ensure coordination of continued throughout implementers strategy and expected results of efforts throughout the life of the activity the Activity the project Clear lines of communication with Shared understanding with USAID defined and shared understanding Hold initial activity briefing w/ USAID regarding RIGO System Completed of USAID's strategic vision and priority USAID in Nairobi Strengthening priorities and areas strategy 2. Finalize Activity Launch Initiatives and Deliverables Final Year 1 Work Plan delivered Finalize Year 1 Work Plan for USAID Review and adjust Year 1 Work Completed and within 45 days of contract approval Plan for USAID approval approved signature Review and adjust Branding Activity Branding Implementation Finalize Branding Implementation and Completed and Implementation and Marking and Marking Plan delivered within Marking Plan for USAID approval approved Plan for USAID approval 60 days of contract signature 3. Establishment of RIGO System Strengthening Working Groups Establishment of RIGO System Establish Working Groups to Working Groups established in Completed Strengthening Working Groups drive the activity all three RIGOs

Not started - will begin in April 2019 4. Conduct performance assessments for IGAD, and May 2019 for COMESA and EAC

Not started - will 5. Develop solutions implementation plan, including donor coordination begin in April/May 2019

In Progress – final 6. Develop activity monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) systems plan revisions will be sent in April 2019

3. DETAILED REPORT ON FY 2019 QUARTER 2 ACTIVITIES

Establishment of RIGO System Strengthening Working Groups

Activity 1: Engage RIGO Leadership and Key Partners on RIGO System Strengthening

The RIGO System Strengthening team led by the Chief of Party held activity inception meetings with the Secretary Generals of COMESA and EAC, the Executive Secretary of IGAD, and their respective teams. The objective was to seek common understanding of the nature and scope of the RIGO System Strengthening activity, the prerequisites for its success, including the delivery model, and the need to establish a Working Group for the activity.

The team also engaged other development partners: the EU in Table 1 COMESA; Germany (GiZ), Phase 1 | Activity 1: Engage RIGO Leadership Progress Status and Key Partners on RIGO System TradeMark East Africa, and the Strengthening activity EU in EAC; and all the donors that Team COP, RIGO Team Leads, Financial support IGAD’s Institutional Management Systems Subject Matter Strengthening Action Plan (ISAP), Expert including the EU, Germany, Location RIGO Head Offices Timeline January/February 2019 Within timeline Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Results - Commitment to support RIGO Support affirmed Switzerland, and Finland. The System Strengthening activity Working Group objective was to discuss and agree affirmed structure agreed on entry points for RIGO System - Scope, delivery structure agreed Strengthening and ways of Milestones - Delivery structure (using Working Terms of reference for Groups) agreed Working Groups; coordinating institutional capacity - Team Lead’s office; associated membership list support to avoid duplication and services ensure synergy.

Activity 2: Establish RIGO Working Groups with Clear Terms of Reference Table 2 In all the RIGOs, we determined Phase 1 | Activity 2: Establish the RIGO Progress Status that it would serve the activity’s Working Groups purpose to establish dedicated Team RIGO top leadership Working Groups for the RIGO Location RIGO Head Offices System Strengthening activity. Timeline February 2019 Within timeline For each RIGO, terms of Results RIGO Working Groups with clear Achieved reference were developed and TERMS OF REFERENCEs approved, nominations into the Milestones - RIGO Working Groups; approved Achieved Working Groups made, and terms of reference - Memo announcing the Working memos announcing the Groups formation of the Working Groups were issued to RIGO staff by their respective leaders.

Activity 3: Hold WG Inaugural and Planning Meeting

The on-site RIGO Team Leads met Table 3 with the Working Group chairs and Phase 1 | Activity 3: Hold WG Inaugural Progress Status set the date and agenda for the first and Planning Meeting Working Group meeting. The agenda Team Chair of the RIGO Working included discussion and approval of Member Groups, COP on-site RIGO Team Leads the terms of reference for the Location RIGO Head Offices Working Group, and the type Timeline February/March 2019 Within timeline of institutional systems Results Date and agenda of the 1st meeting Achieved assessment, which are to be agreed; type of assessment agreed. undertaken. The objective of the Milestones - Minutes of the inaugural and Achieved planning meeting of the Working meeting was achieved. Groups

Activity 4: Review the Terms of Reference for Performance Assessment and commission activity

During its second meeting, the RIGO Working Groups reviewed and approved the terms of reference for the initial performance assessment, clearly establishing its scope and depth. The terms of reference considered the fact that some RIGOs have had numerous institutional capacity assessments within the last three years. IGAD emphasized that no additional comprehensive assessment should Table 4 be undertaken. Its terms of Phase 1 | Activity 4: Reviewing the Terms of Progress Status reference therefore focused on Reference for Performance Assessment and establishing the status of commission activity recommendations of previous Team RIGO Working Group, COP; RIGO assessments. COMESA had an Team Leads Location RIGO Home Offices assessment commissioned by the EU Timeline March 2019 Within timeline underway. EAC required a broad Results Approved terms of references and Terms of reference assessment. The terms of reference start of the performance assessment approved but were therefore tailored to the assessment hadn’t started by end of specific needs of the RIGO as March 2019 determined by the Working Milestones - Approved Terms of references - Achieved - Contract for performance - Not started Groups. assessment awarded

Activity 5: Support to RIGO Working Groups to lead system strengthening

This activity has not fully commenced; the RIGO System Strengthening Team Leads will conduct basic orientation on tools and methods in April 2019, followed by a substantive collaborative, learning and adaptation (CLA) and training event in late May/early June on best practice approaches in institutional systems Table 5 strengthening; this training will also Phase 1 | Activity 5: Support to RIGO Progress Status involve results delivery using HICD, Working Groups OCA and OPI, among other tools. Team Kaizen Home office team, COP

Attendees will include select Location Nairobi and RIGO Home Offices members of the Working Group, Timeline March/April 2019 Now planned for including the Chairs and their late May/early June alternates, and will take place in Results RIGO WGs knowledgeable in basics - Not achieved: Nairobi. of HICD and OPI Team Leads to provide basic The training will be conducted by orientation on the Kaizen team with additional tools and methods in April support from Subcontractors Milestones - Training sessions: one in Nairobi Not started Cardno and ACBF. Team Leads will and one each in Lusaka, Arusha provide ongoing support. and Djibouti

Activity 6: Establish or Strengthen Donor Coordination Units for System Strengthening

The assessments will be implemented in Quarter 3 (April and June 2019) and will include a review of existing donor coordination tools. In Quarter 2, the Chief of Party and the on-site RIGO Team Leads initiated coordination discussions with various development partners.

At COMESA, the RIGO System Strengthening team engaged the EU; it was agreed to coordinate the assessments. The EU’s assessment of COMESA had already begun. It was agreed that RIGO System Strengthening activity would focus on strengthening strategic planning, human resource systems and procurement, and any other areas deemed insufficiently covered by the EU assessment. Table 6 Phase 1 | Activity 6: Establish or Strengthen Progress Status At EAC, the RIGO System Donor Coordination Units Strengthening team engaged Team System Strengthening Technical TradeMark East Africa, GiZ, and the Team, RIGO Working Groups EU. Working with various actors in Location RIGO Home Offices the activities that the EU assessment Timeline March/April 2019 Within timeline does not focus on allowed for an Results More effective donor coordination agreement to avoid duplication of Milestones - Report detailing needs and - Assessment yet to solutions start assessments. The EAC Working - Meeting of donor/partner - Achieved Group advised the EU, GiZ and the coordinators

African Development Bank to hold back any assessment plans and wait for the outcome of the assessment by the RIGO System Strengthening activity.

At IGAD, the well-established ISAP framework is supported by a donor group that meets bi- annually to approve and monitor progress of the consolidated plan and budget. The RIGO System Strengthening team, led by the COP, met all the ISAP partners and gave presentations on the RIGO Systems Strengthening activity. This was well received, and the Activity’s potential contribution accepted. The ISAP partners recommended that the activity be integrated into the ISAP framework. The outcome of the performance assessment will be shared with all partners.

Djibouti, Djibouti – IGAD's ISAP Donor Meeting in March 2019 with participation of the RIGO System Strengthening team. The objective of the meeting was to review the progress of ISAP and its alignment with the RIGO System Strengthening activity.

Monitoring & Evaluation

During this quarter, the MEL Plan was initially developed and submitted to USAID for approval on February 27, 2019. The RIGO System Strengthening team submitted two later iterations of the MEL Plan after receiving feedback by the end of Q2, and a third version will be sent in April 2019.

As part of our effort to improve our capability in developing a MEL Plan that meets USAID standards, the RIGO System Strengthening team nominated the Team Lead for IGAD to attend a two-day USAID MEL Workshop for Implementing Partners.

4. STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT

As described in Activities 1 and 6 above, the main stakeholders engaged during Q2 were the leadership of COMESA, EAC, IGAD as well as representatives from Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Germany, and the European Union. Our main stakeholder – USAID – was engaged regularly (bi-weekly) through the activity’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). At each of the RIGOs, we presented a summary of the RIGO System Strengthening activity and obtained useful comments about how to coordinate efforts and integrate the Activity into on-going projects and programs. The RIGO Working Groups played a key role in determining the scope and depth of the planned performance assessments.

Stakeholder participation and involvement will grow in Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 as the Activity gains momentum.

5. KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019, QUARTER 2

The key accomplishments for Quarter 2 include the following:

▪ Successfully engaging the leadership of COMESA, IGAD and EAC to obtain their commitment and support. Evidence of this commitment and support included (a) providing office space and associated services to the RIGO System Strengthening on-site Team Leads at no cost; and (b) accepting the activity delivery structure and agreeing to establish dedicated Working Groups to drive the Activity. ▪ Obtaining approval for the Terms of Reference establishing the Working Groups within each RIGO. ▪ Successfully engaging RIGO leadership to establish Working Groups in COMESA, IGAD and EAC within a relatively short time. ▪ Successfully engaging development partners as key stakeholders and obtaining their support to coordinate for the RIGO System Strengthening activity. With development partners supporting IGAD’s ISAP, we agreed to integrate our assessment and ‘solutions package’ into the ISAP workplan. With COMESA and EAC development partners we agreed to share information and avoid duplication as we work toward joint planning, monitoring, evaluation and learning.

6. CHALLENGES/ISSUES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019, QUARTER 2

There were no major challenges in Q2 that substantially constituted a risk to activity implementation. Minor challenges are summarized below:

COMESA The launch of the RIGO System Strengthening activity coincided with COMESA engaging a consulting firm, funded by the EU, to undertake a full-fledged institutional capacity assessment for

COMESA (including the Secretariat, some of its institutions, and COMESA desks in member countries). The aim was to develop a performance improvement plan to be funded by EU’s grant of €7 million for five years. This required a recalibration of plans for the RIGO System Strengthening activity, which entailed negotiating with EU and COMESA on scope and timing of our support to ensure the activity focused on filling gaps and not duplicating the work of the EU.

IGAD Thus far, RIGO System Strengthening has not experienced any major issues or challenges with IGAD. The team faced a small challenge with managing the expectations of RIGO System Strengthening - IGAD expected the activity to start immediately after the inception meeting in February. However, the activity is progressing well as of the end of March.

EAC A major challenge faced by EAC included the comparatively lengthy process that the EAC took in approving the terms of reference for the Working Group, nominating members of the Working Group, and approving the terms of reference for the initial assessment. Nonetheless, the increased length of time positively impacted the quality of the products and decisions made. This is because a subcommittee of the Working Group was tasked with reviewing the TOR with the objective to make changes that would better align to EAC’s specific needs. The subcommittee took at least two weeks and submitted a revised TOR that was accepted by the entire Working Group.

7. LESSONS LEARNED

The lessons learned during this Quarter relate to coordination of support among donors, decision-making by some RIGOs, speed to mobilize experts, and the quality of the MEL Plan.

Coordination: While it’s relatively easy to agree with other development partners on divisional labor as far as areas of institutional strengthening support, it can be challenging to synchronize the pace of implementation given different organizations function at different speeds. It is important to be realistic in sequencing activities. The activity will require close coordination with other major donors at all stages.

Decision Speed: Critical decisions can be delayed when quorum is not met in the Working Groups, as well as when the Working Group members are too busy with other work to participate in the Working Groups. The lesson learned is to plan meetings in advance and devise ways of seeking input and consent without always relying on physical meetings.

Speed to mobilize experts: As the team continues working to mobilize technical experts to conduct the assessments, it has at times taken longer than expected to select and mobilize specialists. In coordination with our subcontractors, the activity team will explore all options to ensure we identify and recruit experts in a timely manner to accomplish activity goals.

MEL Plan: Initially, developing the MEL Plan was a challenge. This was a result of needing concrete information regarding the assessments that had not yet occurred, along with working to meet contractual obligations. The team learned that through greater training in the latest USAID MEL tools and methods as well as ensuring our indicators more directly aligned with USAID’s RDCS, difficulties associated with the MEL Plan were mitigated.

8. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Quarter 2 Budget Summary

Summary Approved Quarter 2 Balance in Award Budget Expenditures as of 04/01/2019 A. LABOR 3,031,321.85 100,565.78 2,915,589.14 B. FRINGE 776,630.94 5,332.53 770,094.34 C. ALLOWANCES 10,000.00 450.00 9,550.00 D. TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION & PER DIEM 1,300,216.37 18,858.42 1,270,815.13 E. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES 39,363.85 10,835.47 28,528.38 F. OTHER DIRECT COSTS 144,237.46 10,864.93 133,167.97 G. SUBCONTRACTS AND GRANTS - - - H. GRANTS UNDER SUBCONTRACT - - - I. SUBCONTRACTS 1,931,056.09 - 1,931,056.09 J. CONSTRUCTION - - K. INDIRECT COSTS 2,474,085.64 64,926.24 2,398,169.20 TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS 9,706,912.20 211,833.38 9,456,970.26 FIXED FEE 582,414.73 37,782.00 535,186.73 TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS (ALL CLINs) 10,289,326.94 249,615.38 9,992,156.99

9. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR QUARTER 3

Several activities planned for Quarter 2 were carried forward to Quarter 3:

▪ Commencement of performance assessments ▪ Development of an implementation plan based on gaps identified during performance assessments

During Quarter 3 (April - June 2019), the focus will be on conducting performance assessments in COMESA and EAC. In IGAD, there will be a ‘status of implementation of past assessments’ review. These will be followed immediately with development of a ‘Solutions Implementation Plan’ based on identified performance improvement opportunities. The Implementation Plan will allow a revision to the MEL Plan.

While assessments will incorporate the donor coordination function, donor coordination activities will be continued during the time of the assessments. In Quarter 3, we intend to convene donor coordination meetings in COMESA and EAC.

The team will conduct a CLA and training event during Quarter 3. There, the Working Groups and RIGO System Strengthening Team Leads will converge in Nairobi for this expert-facilitated event.

Annex 1 – Members of the RIGO System Strengthening Working Groups

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Name Position 1. Mr. Ahmed Habanne Ag. Director Planning Coordination and Partnerships - Chair 2. Mr. Josephat Onyari Director, Finance and Administration 3. Mr. Abdi Roble Coordinator of reference for Donor Coordination 4. Mr. Awira Anthony RIGO System Strengthening IGAD Team Lead - Secretary

The East African Community (EAC) Name Position 1 Dr. James Njagu Chef de Cabinet — Convener/Chair 2. Luciano Maganga Principal Internal Auditor 3. Godfrey Kazinduka Project Coordination Unit Coordinator 4. Godfrey Magadu Principal Accountant 5. Daniel Murenzi Principal Information Technology Officer 6. Michel Ndaikengurukiye Principal Le al Officer 7. Theophile Bazimaziki Senior Human Resource Officer 8. Samson Manirakiza Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer 9. Tareto Sala Senior Budget Officer 10. Paul Kadonya Procurement Specialist 11. Elizabeth Ketchemen RIGO System Strengthening activity Team Lead, EAC - Secretary

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Name Title 1. Dr Dev Haman Assist Secretary General, Administration and Budget - Chair 2. Dr. Kipyego Cheluget Assistant SG, Programmes 3. Mr Bob Muzyamba RIGO System Strengthening Team Lead, COMESA - Secretary 4. Ms. Lanka Dorby Director, Information & Networking 5. Mr. Clement Kanyama Director, Budget and Finance 6. Mrs. Martha Elimu Director, Human Resource & Administration

7. Mrs. Auleria Olunga Chief, Internal Audit Unit

8. Mr. Deogratias Kamweya Chief, International Cooperation and Resource Mobilization

9. Mr. Simal Amor Head, Strategic Planning and Research

10. Mr. Josephat Kinyele Head, Procurement Unit

11. Ms. Mshuka Kamwela EU - EDF Coordinator

12. Mr. Walter Talma COMESA-USAID Program Coordinator