ACRONYMS COP Chief of Party CDCS Country Development Cooperation Strategy DO Development Objective FIRST Fiscal Reform for a Strong Tunisia GOT Government of Tunisia IMF International Monetary Fund MOF Ministry of Finance PMO Project Management Office SOW Scope of Work STTA Short-term Technical Assistance USAID United States Agency for International Development USG United States Government TUNISIA FIRST STTA TRIP REPORT | 2 A. PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY “The purpose of the USAID/Fiscal Reform for a Strong Tunisia (FIRST) project is to provide technical assistance and capacity building to key Government of Tunisia (GoT) Institutions, particularly the Ministry of Finance (MOF)”. The “Customer service” training is one of many training activities conducted by Tunisia FIRST to support the MoF and its field agents in creating a better, more modern and more efficient “taxpayer” customer/agent relationship. When I joined Tunisia FIRST on October 21st, 2019, my main tasks were to ensure the smooth ongoing of the training and make sure that the work flow is not interrupted and that by implementing an effective coordination and communication system allowing all parts of operation, FIRST, the MoF and the subcontractor PMGI to centralize information. In the field, I had to resolve many issues as they occurred and, in some cases, anticipate them after a short period of observation I was able to understand better the SoW and optimize our participants’ experience. In 8 different governorates (Tunis, Nabeul, Monastir, Sfax, Kairouan, Djerba, Tozeur and Tabarka.) and more than 70 trainings, I was responsible for monitoring and follow up by liaising between FIRST and PMGI throughout the training phases from the selection of the participants till the certificate ceremony. We have trained 1,393 MoF agent and personnel (until February 17th, 2020). The position’s scope of work was as follows: • Ensure the transportation of the attendees and coordinate with the transportations’ company selected for that. • Participate in the support of the operations procurement and logistics departments on the follow-up of PMGI events operation support from the preparation phase to the close and reporting phase. • Assist in the set-up of PMGI training, • Support onsite attendance to PMGI Trainings and all events planned with this subcontractor and needed preparations; including follow-up of USAID visibility materials. • Assist the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Manager for data collection related to these trainings. B. PROGRESS MADE AGAINST OBJECTIVES OF CONSULTANCY • Participants questions and enquiries were answered and met timely and effectively which led to less absenteeism. • A better, smoother communication with the MoF and PMGI. Having one vis-à-vis made the information exchange ensured • A more organized, accurate and timely feedback. A more efficient data collection method (A weekly short report including the number of participants per group, per sex, region… and certain issues encountered during the training in order to avoid them in the following sessions. C. KEY OBSERVATIONS The MoF and the agents expressed their interest in the training and that explains the growing number of participants and the regions they represent. 1 | STTA TRIP REPORT: 03/04/2020 TUNISIA FIRST Sometimes, the subcontractor acted as a decision maker and that made work very difficult especially trying to put things in order again. Although this was not common during the trainings, it needs to be avoided in the future, and the training should be tailored to meet all the participants’ expectations. D. ISSUES AND/OR PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED • Logistics issues, especially with the transportation since the training brings together people from different regions and governorates. • The ever-changing participant lists from the MoF and finalizing the lists with the subcontractor • The training in Kairouan was particularly challenging due to the lack of hotels in that area which forced us to organize the trainings one by one (instead of three simultaneous groups per day like the other sites). • The subcontractor wasn’t very flexible and understanding in some activities, some of their team members were even counterproductive and not cooperative sometimes. Overall, the service was satisfactory despite the lack of collaboration of some PMGI staff. E. RECOMMENDATIONS • Trainings outside Tunis were very successful and appreciated from the participants but -For future events and trainings, I suggest taking our participants to a further better organized region than inviting them in a nearby area that can slow down the work and effect its quality. My observation is that a poorly equipped hotel and lack of conference rooms can have worse results than a far region with better infrastructures and capacities. • Avoiding last minute changes, such as adding participants or changing the schedule during the trainings. It creates difficulties during the training by increasing the number of absents, and after it by making collecting and having exact data more challenging. • When training field agents from the MoF, it is preferable to have the training in Arabic or in Tunisian dialect. The trainers spoke French (most of the time) and some participants couldn’t follow and take full advantage of the content. F. EXPECTED FOLLOW-ON ACTIVITIES AND/OR NEXT STEPS • An additional training session in Tunis (that wasn’t in the original plan) for more agents who expressed their interest in taking the training and receiving a certificate. Now with the Covid-19 pandemic, all the trainings conducted by FIRST are on hold, including the Customer Service Training. TUNISIA FIRST STTA TRIP REPORT | 2 .