Audit of USAID/Mali's Education Program

USAID/Mali reflect the Academy for Educational Development's failure to retain pertinent information regarding the project activities in the contractor's performance evaluation.

USAID/Mali obtain adequate documentation from the Education Development Center for the $20,500 in unsupported questioned costs related to per diem payments or issue a bill for collection, and

USAID/Mali follow up with the Education Development Center regarding its internal review to determine if additional amounts should be questioned and request a bill for collection for those amounts.

USAID/Mali verify that the Education Development Center established adequate controls over the Road to Reading Program's per diem payments.

USAID/Mali conduct expanded data quality assessments, including a thorough review of data validity and reliability for all standard and customized performance indicators.

USAID/Mali require a written site visit report to document the purpose and the results of each visit and specify that each site visit include the confirmation of data validity and reliability, when possible.

USAID/Mali schedule the monitoring and evaluation specialist for the Certificate Course in Monitoring and Evaluation scheduled for January to March 2010.

USAID/Mali work closely with its implementing partner to finalize the performance management plan for the Education Decentralization Program.

USAID/Mali engage in dialogue with Education Development Center and the Ministry of Education to enforce the program's contract with the radio stations and minimize the broadcasting of other content.

USAID/Mali require partners to implement branding plans and take the necessary steps to ensure adherence to USAID branding guidelines.

USAID/Mali develop a realistic, multiyear education program budget to ensure that future activities are carefully planned to reduce the existing and projected pipeline and ensure compliance with the Agency's forward funding regulations. The budget should include a realistic assessment of historical and future expenditures, the time required to complete procurement actions, and the risk of unanticipated implementation delays.