Benchmarking Choices for BCOP Istanbul, February 25, 2008

The Program Budget Survey Answered many questions of interest to BCOP members Slightly updated for this meeting Do you want to repeat it?

The OECD Has many good surveys/studies that it does for budget practitioners Samples: –When was the first government-wide initiative to introduce output measures? –If performance measures have been developed, what were the four most difficult problems encountered when introducing these measures? Should BCOP ask to use their surveys or select some OECD questions for its benchmarking?

PEFA Done in most BCOP countries Offers an International Standard to prove results Does it meet your needs? Should we select some PEFA ratings for a BCOP Benchmarking Matrix and add our own questions?

PEFA Examples PI-1 Aggregate expenditure out-turn compared to original approved budget PI-5 Classification of the budget PI-6 Comprehensiveness of information included in budget documentation PI-12 Multi-year perspective in fiscal planning, expenditure policy and budgeting PI-18 Effectiveness of payroll controls

A Committee? Should BCOP appoint a committee to explore benchmarking devices and report back to BCOP members through the website? Would you participate in the committee and/or their recommended survey?

BCOP Issues for 2008 Program Budgets Intergovernmental Finance MTEF Relations with Line Ministries IT Impacts on Budgeting Capital Budgeting Monitoring and Evaluation

2008 Issues Your Issues? Special Funds for Health and Pensions?

BCOP Budget Limits We will have few funds until donors renew, based on the Evaluation Expect that not all costs will be covered in the future for travel and meetings Look for joint COP activities in 2008 with limited BCOP member participation Your reaction?