FCG Finnish Consulting Group Ltd FINAL REPORT Presented to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland Embassy of Finland, Managua FINAL EVALUATION OF MUNICIPAL ICT PROGRAMME IN NICARAGUA February 2012 Final Evaluation of the Municipal ICT Project in Nicaragua The opinions expressed in this report are the consultants’ opinions only and do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Finland or the Finnish Consulting Group (FCG) Finnish Consulting Group Ltd 1 Final Evaluation of the Municipal ICT Project in Nicaragua Acronyms and Abbreviations 3G 3rd generation mobile telecommunications ADM Municipal Development Partnership ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line AIN Internet Association of Nicaragua AMU Associations of Municipalities AMUB Association of Municipalities of Boaco AMUNIC Association of Municipalities of Nicaragua AMURACAN Association of Municipalities Autonomous Regions of Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast AMUZEC Association of Municipalities of Central Zelaya ASOCHOM Association of Municipalities of Chontales ATI International Technical Assistance ATN Nicaragua Telecentre Association ATP Chief Technical Advisor BPM Municipal Best Practices Program CADIN Nicaraguan National Chamber of Industries CAFTA Central American Free Trade Agreement CAM Municipal Affairs Committee of the National Assembly CDD Departmental Development Council CDM Development Municipal Committee, Municipal Development Committee CED Departmental Executive Board CEN National Executive Board CHF Foundation for Corporative Housing CIDEL Regional based ICT service enterprise CMS Content Management System. CNDD National Commission for Decentralization and Local Development CODEBO Departmental Development Council Boaco CONICYT Nicaraguan Council of Science and Technology. CPC Council of Popular Power CSE (SEC) Supreme Electoral Council CSJ Supreme Court of Justice CUC Unique Accountability Form DGA General Directorate of Customs Services DGCAM Directorate General of Municipal Civil Service attached to the MHCP DGI General Directorate of Revenues DGTEC Directorate General of Technology. Under the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit. eLAC Ministerial Conference Information Society in Latin America and the Caribbean ENITEL Nicaraguan Telecommunications Company ERCERP Strengthened Growth and Poverty Reduction ERP Enterprise Resource Planning FADES Auto Strengthening Social Development Management (Finnish cooperation) FCG Finnish Consultant Group FISE Social Investment Emergency Fund FITEL Telecommunications Investment Fund, attached to TELCOR FMI International Monetary Fund FOMEVIDAS Strengthening of Rural Development and Sustainable Livelihoods FONIM Support Fund Transfer Systems externally funded FSLN Sandinista National Liberation Front GDP Gross Domestic Product GME Electronic Municipal Government GPS Global Positioning System Finnish Consulting Group Ltd 2 Final Evaluation of the Municipal ICT Project in Nicaragua GSM Global System for Mobile Communications HSDPA High-Speed Downlink Packet Access IBI Tax on Real Estate ICT Information and Communication Technology. ICT4D ICT for Development IMF International Monetary Fund IMI Municipal Income Tax. INATEC National Technological Institute INEC National Institute of Statistics and Census INETER Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies INIFOM Nicaraguan Institute for Municipal Development INPYME Nicaraguan Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises ISP Internet Service Provider LAN Local Area Network MAGFOR Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry MARENA Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. MDG Millennium Development Goals (United Nations) MFA Ministry of Foreign Affairs MHCP Ministry of Finance and Public Credit MIFIC Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade MINREX Ministry of External Relations. MINSA Ministry of Health MPLS Multi-protocol Label Switching NEC National Executive Council of Municipal ICT Program NGO Non Governmental Organisation ODM Millennium Development Goals (United Nations) OMC World Trade Organization OpenOffice Open Source Office package with editor, spreadsheet, presentations PFIM Municipal Institutional Strengthening Program PGR National Budget of the Republic PN National Police PND Nicaragua’s National Development Plan PMU Project Management Unit POA Annual Operating Plan POG Global Operating Plan PRODEMU Program to Support Decentralization and Municipal Development PROGESTION Programme for Strengthening Municipal Management and Local Development PyMES SME - Small and Medium Enterprises RAAN North Atlantic Autonomous Region RAAS South Atlantic Autonomous Region RUC Unique Registry of Taxpayer SEC Supreme Electoral Council (CSE in spanish) SETEC Technical Secretary of the Presidency SIAFI Integrated Financial Management System SIAFM Integrated Municipal Financial Management. System SIF Cattle Brand Administration System SIG Geographic Information System SIGFA Integrated Financial Management System Management and Audit. SINACAM National Municipal Training Council. SISCAT Fiscal Cadastre System SISCO Accounting System of Municipalities SISEM Performance monitoring system of municipal services. SISEM Municipal Services System SISREC Municipal Revenue System SME Small and Medium Enterprises Finnish Consulting Group Ltd 3 Final Evaluation of the Municipal ICT Project in Nicaragua SMS Short Message Service SNIP National Public Investment System TELCOR Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Post TELCOR/FITEL Telecommunications Regulator - Telecommunications Investment Fund TIC ICT - Information and Communication Technologies TIM Municipal Computing Technician TRANSMUNI Municipal Transfer and Information System UAP Project Management Unit in Spanish UAT Technical Assistance and Support Unit UCA Central American University UCODEL Communication Unit for Local Development UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System URACCAN University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Digital Voice Communication VPN Virtual Private Network WSIS World Summit on the Information Society Finnish Consulting Group Ltd 4 Final Evaluation of the Municipal ICT Project in Nicaragua Table of Contents 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 7 Objectives and management model ........................................................................................................... 7 Institutional Context ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Efficiency .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Effectiveness ................................................................................................................................................... 8 Impact .............................................................................................................................................................. 9 Sustainability .................................................................................................................................................. 9 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................................................. 9 RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................................................................................................9 2 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 17 3 CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................ 19 4 SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT .............................................................. 21 4.1 GOALS AND EXPECTED RESULTS .......................................................................................... 21 4.2 BENEFICIARIES , SCOPE AND BUDGET .................................................................................. 22 Contribution of the Government of Finland (Euro) ................................................................................ 22 Financial execution of the main components and PMU, Funds from Finland ................................... 23 Contribution of the Government of Nicaragua to the Budget (Euro) ................................................. 23 4.3 MANAGEMENT MODEL .......................................................................................................... 24 4.4 KEY MOMENTS OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................................... 24 5 EVALUATION ................................................................................................................. 26 5.1 RELEVANCE ......................................................................................................................... 26 5.1.1 Origin and Design .................................................................................................... 26 5.1.2 Observations on the Logical Framework .............................................................. 28 5.2 EFFICIENCY ......................................................................................................................... 29 5.2.1 Availability of Funds ................................................................................................ 29 5.2.2 Management