Role of external contractors - Assistance, monitoring and evaluation Dr Jesper Karup Pedersen, COWI 9 March 2011 Athens 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Coordination Meeting, Athens Content 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens Contract content Three phases Assistance Monitoring Evaluation In sum… 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Contract content Objective Purpose Duration and man-days to identify, support and evaluate four integrated and multi-disciplinary pilot initiatives (or pilot projects) in the field of desertification that may contribute to the exchange of best practices at the local level on selected issues (conservation of rainwater and surface water, alternative forms of irrigation, water saving/water efficiency measures and – crops consuming less water) not to do financial auditing Purpose to analyse the best practices and give input to the Commission for the call of proposals to support the implementation of the pilot initiatives to assess and disseminate their results Duration and man-days 32 calendar months (Sep 2009 – May 2012) 93 man-days 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Three phases A. Analysis Identification of priority regions and sectors Input to call for proposals B. Monitoring Assistance in evaluation of proposals Reports on kick-off of projects, quarterly status notes and two monitoring reports Summary records of coordination meetings C. Evaluation Report on evaluation of results Assistance in dissemination Final recommendation 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Assistance Commission to identify and launch the pilot initiatives successfully (e.g. through participation in kick-off meetings) to ensure that an ongoing coordination and exchange of good ideas among the pilot initiatives take place to ensure that results feed into the forthcoming 2012 Water Scarcity and Droughts Policy Review Beneficiaries to lay down reporting requirements to facilitate coordination and exchange of good ideas among the pilot initiatives to facilitate dissemination of results 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Monitoring Participation in kick-off meetings Preparation and participation in coordination meeting(s) Execution of a maximum of 6 monitoring visits Preparation of reports on kick-off of pilot initiatives Preparation of guidance named "Outline of structure and content of reports to be prepared" in line with a specially designed methodology for monitoring and evaluation Preparation of quarterly status notes and also two monitoring reports on the basis of quarterly progress reports prepared by the beneficiaries Support in dissemination of results on an ad-hoc basis (special requests to be made) Transparency 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

"Outline of structure and content of reports to be prepared" matters it is, hopefully, user- friendly it provides minimum requirements to reporting chapter by chapter it assists in making reports brief and to the point it urges beneficiaries to make good use of tables and text boxes; the tables may be "growing" over time as the pilot initiatives develop it proposes 5 chapters… Introduction (fairly much the same in every report) Results produced Activities undertaken Up-dated work plan Key findings … and 2 annexes Annex I: Institutions Visited and Persons Met. Annex II: References. 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Note, result-based monitoring is applied 2. Results produced Tables 1 and 2 to be filled in by the beneficiaries on the basis of the grant agreements (especially, Forms 3a and 3b) Note, result-based monitoring is applied 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

3. Activities undertaken Table 3 to be filled in by the beneficiaries – again: on the basis of the grant agreements 4. Up-dated work plan Table 4 to be filled in by the beneficiaries – again: on the basis of the grant agreements 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Operational information and dissemination of results matters inform the Commission and external contractors about forthcoming meetings of all partners one month before, at least do whatever you can to facilitate exchange of documents among partners of one pilot initiative – and also among pilot initiatives (you may check out www.dropbox.com) make sure Chapter 5 in the quarterly progress reports is written in way that is understandable to a broader audience 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

Evaluation Evaluation is to be based upon the two monitoring reports Important that the evaluation is carried out in close cooperation with the beneficiaries and partners involved in the pilot initiatives; these will be asked about achieved results The evaluation will feed into the forthcoming policy review Once again: Transparency 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens

In sum… We are at your service! 09/03/11 Coordination Meeting, Athens