GUATEMALA LOCAL GOVERNANCE / NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT #26 CONTRACT No. AID-520-C-14-00002 January 20, 2021 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for InternationalPage Development. 1 of 113 It was pr epared by DAI Global, LLC. LOCAL GOVERNANCE / NEXOS LOCALES PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT (QR26) October 2020 – December 2020 Project Title: USAID Nexos Locales Project Sponsoring USAID office: USAID / Guatemala Contract Number: AID-520-C-14-00002 COR: Claudia Agreda Contractor: DAI Global, LLC Date of Publication: January 20, 2021 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. Page 2 of 113 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS _________________________________________________________ 3 SUMMARY OF FIGURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS _______________________________________ 4 ACRONYMS _________________________________________________________________ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY _________________________________________________________ 7 INTRODUCTION ____________________________________________________________ 10 I. STEMMING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION __________________________________________ 12 II. HIGH-LEVEL RESULTS _____________________________________________________ 14 III. SUMMARY OF KEY ACHIEVEMENTS _________________________________________ 16 IV. OBSTACLES FACED BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED ________________ 18 V. QUARTERLY PROGRESS RESULTS ___________________________________________ 20 VI. TRAINING EVENTS _______________________________________________________ 50 VII. GRANTS ADMINISTRATION ______________________________________________ 51 VIII. PROJECT MANAGEMENT ________________________________________________ 52 ANNEX I: GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS _____________________________________________ 59 ANNEX II: WORK PLAN ACTIVITY TRACKER ______________________________________ 64 ANNEX III: MUNICIPALITY TRACKER _____________________________________________ 71 ANNEX IV: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN ___________________________________ 76 Page 3 of 113 SUMMARY OF FIGURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS FIGURES Figure 1- Nexos Locales coverage area Y7-Y9 ........................................................................................................ 10 PHOTOGRAPHS Photo 1: OMAS personnel in Sacapulas receiving online TA on GIS use through Nexos Locales’ training platform 21 Photo 2: Nexos Locales, UMG, and SEGEPLAN staff facilitating the budget management training ............ 22 Photo 3: Nexos Locales technicians presenting the 2018 Municipal Ranking Dashboards to municipal officials in San Marcos ..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Photo 4: Cover of the Safe Water Against COVID-19 summary ....................................................................... 27 Photo 5: Members of Women’s Networks in Huehuetenango, San Marcos, and Quiché, participate in the CODEMUJER regional meetings ........................................................................................................................... 31 Photo 6: OMAS staff in Nebaj rehabilitating water service lines ......................................................................... 36 Photo 7: Scene from Nebaj’s DMM video to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women .............................................................................................................................................. 40 Photo 8: Nexos Locales staff coordinates the humanitarian assistance delivery coordinated by the municipality of Chajul ...................................................................................................................................................... 52 Photo 9: Nexos Locales staff participating in USAID’s Indigenous Engagement meeting with Implementing Partners .............................................................................................................................................................................. 53 Page 4 of 113 ACRONYMS AAC Area Advisory Committee AGAAI Guatemalan Association of Indigenous Mayors and Authorities ANAM National Association of Municipalities A4P Alliance for Prosperity BHA USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance CAI Indigenous Authority Councils CEO Creating Economic Opportunities CLA Collaboration, Learning, Adapting CLD Communities Leading Development COCODE Community Development Council COE Emergency Operations Commissions COFETARN Commission for Economic Growth, Tourism, Environment and Natural Resources COMUDE Municipal Development Council COMUSAN Municipal Commission for Food Security and Nutrition COR Contracting Officer’s Representative CSO Civil Society Organization DAFIM Municipal Administrative Financial Directorate DAI DAI Global, LLC DART Disaster Assistance Response Team DEMIN Integrated Municipal Evaluation DEC Development Experience Clearinghouse DMM Municipal Women’s Directorate FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FtF Feed the Future GIS Geographic Information Systems GoG Government of Guatemala GUC Grants Under Contract ICTA The Institute of Science and Agricultural Technologies IOM International Organization for Migration LAIP Public Access to Information Law LED Local Economic Development LOP Life of Project MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning MINFIN Ministry of Finance MoU Memorandum of Understanding OMAS Municipal Water and Sanitation Office OMDEL Municipal Office for Economic Development OMJ Municipal Youth Office OMM Municipal Women’s Office OMRRHH Municipal Human Resources Office PDM-POT Proceso de Actualización y Alineamiento de Planes Municipales de Desarrollo a Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial PDH Guatemalan Human Rights Ombudsman Office PFM Public Financial Management PMP Performance Management Plan POA Annual Operative Plan Q26 Quarter 26 Q27 Quarter 27 Q28 Quarter 28 Q29 Quarter 29 SAN Food Security and Nutrition SCEP Presidential Executive Coordination Secretariat Page 5 of 113 SEGEPLAN Planning and Programming Presidential Secretariat SESAN Secretariat of Food Security and Nutrition (Secretaría de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional) SNIP National Public Investment System SEPREM Presidential Secretariat for Women’s Affairs STTA Short-term Technical Assistance TA Technical Assistance UIP Public Information Unit USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government WHO World Health Organization Y4 Year Four Y5 Year Five Y6 Year Six Y7 Year Seven Page 6 of 113 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This quarterly report captures the breadth of activities performed during the twenty-sixth quarter (Q26), which ranges from October 1st, 2020 to December 31st, 2020. The report delineates high-level results, key achievements in each of the six technical result areas under the Nexos Locales contract, obstacles faced, lessons learned during the reporting period, project management updates, and financial reporting against the project’s six funding sources. In August 2020, Nexos Locales was awarded a second TEC increase which permitted the incorporation of specific activities for Results 2 and 5. With the TEC increase, the project’s period of performance will be extended through June 2023. Quarter 26 marked the start of the implementation of activities under the project’s Year 7 Work Plan. As elaborated in the Work Plan, the project’s coverage area remains comprised of 22 municipalities which will receive full program inputs through project close down. Nexos Locales’ assistance framework will continue to focus on municipal self-reliance for reduced illegal immigration. The project also continues to support the Safe Water Against COVID-19 initiative, ensuring the provision of safe water to fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through assistance to the Municipal Offices for Economic Development, Nexos Locales supports municipalities in the implementation of economic recovery measures. During the reporting period, municipalities kicked off their programming cycle for the fiscal year. Due to the turnover in key positions in municipal administrations, the preparation of annual operations plans (POA) and budgets was an entirely new process for the majority of municipal officials. Nexos Locales’ assistance and the project-developed POA-Presupuesto tool, which develops an automated outline for POAs, and permits their alignment with national development policies, were instrumental in guiding municipal personnel as they completed this task. The project’s proactive engagement with target offices to conduct the annual programming process was especially relevant as municipalities managed updates in the National Investment System criteria issued by the presidential administration. When Hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Guatemala in November 2020, local authorities had to face yet another unprecedented crisis, adding to the challenges and difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The heavy rains and flooding within the departments of Quiché and Huehuetenango caused severe damage to key roads and bridges, leaving hundreds of communities isolated for several weeks. The humanitarian crisis that resulted from these natural disasters, further limited the availability of municipal personnel to receive assistance as key staffers diverted their agendas to help in the crisis response. In spite of these factors, the project’s longstanding partnership with government