1. Martin Aldcroft, Senior Manager Strategic Support Unit 3 July 2019
INTOSAI CBC / Regional Forum for Capacity Development Pooling of Resources within INTOSAI
Martin Aldcroft, Senior Manager
Strategic Support Unit
3 July 2019

2. 1. Why Pool Resources or Work Together?
Access skills, experience, knowledge
Create efficiencies, synergies, economies of scale
Scale-up delivery, expand reach
Working Together
Strengthen and expand relationships
Influence behaviour
Build ownership and legitimacy
Enable mutual learning and feedback loops
First, I’d like to reflect on what is meant by pooling resources. I think it is when organisations put their resources together. It may mean creating a common pool of human or financial resources for the benefit of many. But I think it can also apply to joint resourcing of initiatives and delivery vehicles for the benefit of many. It may even mean creating and jointly resourcing new delivery vehicles. For me, pooling of resources is a component of working together. But what it misses is the relationships between the organisations pooling resources. These relationships are key to successful pooling of resources. Therefore, I believe it is essential to think more broadly about how we work together, which includes pooling resources.
Before exploring different ways of pooling resources or working together, I think it is useful to explore why we do so.

3. 2. Approaches to Pooling Resources and Working Together
Strategic Partnerships
Shared vision, cuts across delivery areas
Lead & Support Partnership
One lead organisation, others provide defined support
Joint Delivery Partnerships
Shared governance mechanism for delivery
Delegated Delivery Partnerships
E.g. joint design & pilot, delegated roll-out
Accountable Grants
As grant recipient or provider
Organisational Development Partnerships
Mutual organisational strengthening
Models
Shared Services
In-kind Support to Initiatives
Partnerships
Licensing
Resource Pools (Funds, Expertise)
Joint Ventures
Outsourcing & Sub-contracting
Secondments & Placements
Brokerage / Matching
These categories are adapted from work done within IDI when thinking about partnering as an approach to underpin the new IDI Strategic Plan. They are by no means exclusive. And the different models are not mutually exclusive. An initiative may involve different partnerships, and individual partnerships may combine different models.
Most of these models should be self-explanatory. Within Partnerships, there are several forms depending on the purpose of the partnership, how it is governed, and the roles & responsibilities of the different partners.
Within INTOSAI, I believe we are using all these models except for joint ventures.
Under each model, there are several cross-cutting issues that need to be considered when deciding how to pool resources and work together.
Cross-Cutting Issues
Purpose / Roles & Responsibilities / Governance Arrangements / Delivery Model / Branding & Visibility / Managing Risk / Funding & Cost Sharing

4. Alignment of objectives, values and culture
3. Selecting Partners – Planning a Journey
Destination?
Behaviour?
Shared Vision
Culture & Principles
Alignment of objectives, values and culture
Mode of Travel?
Repeat Journey?
Way of Working
Mutual Learning
Selecting a partner is like planning a journey with someone. We can follow similar steps and ask ourselves similar questions.
Route?
Destination or Journey?
Programme Design
Importance of Process

5. 4. Effective Delivery and Managing Risk
Agreements
Risk management (identify, measure, mitigate, monitor)
Formal partnership – MoU, grant agreement, contract, commitment statement, or
Delivery risk
Reputational risk
Informal partnership – established / emerging practices
Relationship risk
Risks depend on the nature and depth of partnerships
Consider joint governance arrangements for partnerships
Agree approach to quality, monitoring, reporting, evaluating
The following issues are key to ensuring effective delivery and managing risks when working together, i.e. after the decision to partner.
Most are self explanatory. But within INTOSAI, we added the concept of relationship risk. This relates to the risk that the long term relationship between the partners may hinder the ability to manage the partnership effectively. It arises when one partner has to find a balance between responding to the actions of another partner and protecting its long-term relationship with that partner. Many bodies within INTOSAI are long-term partners who rely on the good will and cooperation of each other. These bodies can not be replaced due to poor performance, and may resist suggestions that they need to improve the way they do things within the partnership.
Similarly, many key stakeholders in INTOSAI wear multiple hats: Head of an SAI, Chair of an INTOSAI Committee, IDI Board member, INTOSAI Regional Body Governing Board member. These relationships need to be considered and potential conflicts of interest identified, so that partnerships can be designed in such a way that they can be managed effectively.

6. 5. Partnerships Within & Outside INTOSAI
Strategic Partnerships
INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation (INTOSAI & 23 Development Partners)
Strategic Partnership between IDI & the International Budget Partnership
Brokerage
Global Call for Proposals
Joint Delivery Partnerships
Accelerated Peer-Support Partnership (PAP-APP) between IDI, AFROSAI-E & CREFIAF
Delegated Delivery Partnerships
SAI PMF (CBC Strategic Governance Role, IDI Implementation Role)
Shared Services
AFROSAI-E shared audit manual & annual technical updates
IDI Global support centres on SAI PMF, SAI Independence
(Potential) shared QA function for small SAIs
Outsourcing
Most evaluations
Digitisation of education material for PESA
Resource Pools
SAI Capacity Development Fund (SECO, World Bank)
Expert pools (LMS administrators, SAI PMF trainers, iCAT assessors)
Lead & Support Partnerships
(Most global & regional initiatives, e.g.)
Auditing the SDGs (IDI, KSC, INTOSAI Regions, UNDESA, IBP, CAAF…)
SAI Strategy, Performance Measurement and Reporting in PASAI (IDI, PASAI, SECO)
Organisational Development Partnerships
Bilateral support to SAIs
(Potential) support to INTOSAI regional bodies
Accountable Grants
Donor & SAI financial support for SAI capacity development
Finally, I will end with some examples of the different types of partnerships and other ways that we work together within and outside INTOSAI.
And don’t forget, INTOSAI itself is also a partnership.
In-Kind Support to Initiatives
Most global & regional initiatives receiving staff & logistical support from SAIs, INTOSAI bodies, donors etc.
Secondments
OAGN to IDI
IDI, GIZ to CREFIAF
Licensing
Training for Donors on Working with SAIs

7. Hopefully, when you partner your journey will be like this.

8. And won’t end up like this.