REGIONAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (RIGO) SYSTEM STRENGTHENING Quarterly Report FY 2019, Quarter 3, April 1 – June 30, 2019 Submission Date: July 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 3 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 CPP Categorization and Prioritization Process EAC The East African Community FM SME Financial Management Subject Matter Expert GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit IGAD Intergovernmental Authority on Development ISAP Institutional Strengthening Action Plan (for IGAD) MEL Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning RDCS Regional Development Cooperation Strategy RIGO Regional Intergovernmental Organization RPI RIGO Performance Index TOR Terms of Reference USAID The United States Agency for International Development EU European Union i Table of Contents 1. Project Overview ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.I Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 2. Activity Implementation Progress ....................................................................................... 3 2.1 Progress Narrative ........................................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Project Status ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Detailed Report on FY 2019 Quarter 3 Activities ............................................................... 8 4. Stakeholder Participation and Involvement ....................................................................... 11 5. Key Accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 3 .................................................... 12 6. Challenges/Issues for Fiscal Year 2019, Quarter 3 ............................................................. 12 7. Lessons Learned..................................................................................................................... 13 8. Financial Management ........................................................................................................... 14 9. Planned Activities for Quarter 3 .......................................................................................... 14 Annex 1: CLA Report………………………………………………………………………………………16 ii 1. PROJECT OVERVIEW Regional Intergovernmental Organization (RIGO) System Program Name: Strengthening 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: April 1 – June 30, 2019 1 1.1 Introduction The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been a steady and reliable partner in Africa’s economic integration efforts. For nearly two decades, USAID 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 further the organizational development of these RIGOs, USAID awarded a contract for the RIGO System Strengthening activity to The Kaizen Company (Kaizen) on November 29, 2018. This five-year activity commenced 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 began with the co-formation of internal Working Groups for each RIGO, who will then lead a performance assessment process and the 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, performance management, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E), strategic planning, and donor coordination. This activity under the leadership of the Chief of Party (COP), Kapkirwok Jason, is being coordinated from Nairobi; meanwhile, on-site Team Leads are 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 an as needed basis by a Resource Pool Group comprised of firms with specific skills. This report represents the RIGO System Strengthening activity’s Fiscal Year 2019 Third Quarter Progress Report covering the period from April 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019. EAC IGAD COMESA 2 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 for the Plan’s successful implementation. The key items addressed during this quarter include the following: 1. Conducting performance assessments to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement; 2. Developing a summary Solutions and Implementation Plan (SPIP) based on performance improvement opportunities, and improving donor coordination; and, 3. Conducting continuous Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for adaptive and improved performance. Quarter 3 builds on the foundational activities of the last two quarters: in Quarter 1 (October 1 – December 31, 2018), the RIGO team successfully established a fully functional field office, while Quarter 2 (January 1 – March 31, 2019) provided a solid basis for the launch of the RIGO System Strengthening activity with the establishment of Working Groups and the engagement of key stakeholders. During Quarter 3, the priorities included completing the performance assessments and finalizing the SPIPs for COMESA, IGAD, and EAC. The Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) workshop held from June 13 to 14, 2019 was also held in Quarter 3 (see Annex I), following the completion of most of the performance assessment activities within the three RIGOs. The table below summarizes critical milestones for each RIGO: Table 1 – Milestones Reached by End of Q3 for IGAD, COMESA, and EAC RIGO Period of Draft Report Final Report Submitted to Assessment Validated Kaizen IGAD April 15 – May 15, May 24, 2019 June 18, 2019 2019 COMESA April 23 – June 18, June 25, 2019 June 28, 2019 2019 EAC May 13, 2019 – July 11, 2019 July 19, 2019 June 30, 2019 All A CLA event for Working Group members was held on June 13 and 14, 2019 RIGOs in Nairobi, Kenya. 3 2.2 Project Status The table below summarizes the status of implementation of the RIGO System Strengthening Year 1 Work Plan: Table 2 – RIGO System Strengthening Year 1 Work Plan Summary of Progress - Quarters 1, 2 and 3 (December 1, 2018 - June 30, 2019) Task Activities Results Progress Status 1. Complete Project Launch Established program systems and operations, including financial systems, procurement process, Systems and procedures HR policies, M&E start-up, work Launch project start up established for RIGO System Completed plan development, and Strengthening assessment team management procedures Field office lease executed to co- Finalize office leasing and locate RIGO System services contract for co- Field office arranged Completed Strengthening team at identified location in Nairobi with premises in Nairobi subcontractor Cardno Procure/rent any Field office ready for operations remaining required Field office established Completed equipment and supplies Key personnel are confirmed, fielded, and ready to begin Key personnel contracted and Mobilize, onboard, and program operations and Completed mobilized orient key personnel