Recommendation Dashboard

USAID/Timor-Leste direct the implementer of the Strengthening Property Rights in Timor-Leste Project to develop improved data quality control procedures that will address the recordrelated
deficiencies identified during the audit and ensure that the data and records maintained in the project's database are accurate, complete, and of an acceptable quality.

USAID/Timor-Leste direct the implementer of the Strengthening Property Rights in Timor-Leste Project to (a) reassess the results that can be realistically achieved under its land administration activity during the remainder of the project period and (b) develop a detailed plan for completing this work, including corrective action to address the operational issues identified by the audit, to ensure that all property claims collected under the activity undergo final processing by the end of the project.

USAID/Timor-Leste direct the implementer of the Strengthening Property Rights in Timor-Leste Project to (a) provide training or guidance to its project field staff to ensure that they adhere
to prescribed procedures in the followup and resolution of disputed property claims, and (b) establish appropriate procedures to ensure that data on disputed property claims reported from the project's disputed claims log are accurate and
complete, as well as regularly reconciled with data contained in the project's database to maintain the reliability and accuracy of both records.

USAID/Jordan require its contractor to provide additional written guidance to subcontractors on the purpose of the outreach protocols and the need for accurate reporting of outreach data that exceed targets.

USAID/Jordan provide written guidance to its contractor and subcontractors regarding required record retention periods and periodically verify source documents to database information.

USAID/Jordan require Abt Associates, Inc., to provide USAID/Jordan with documentation demonstrating the inclusion of the required voluntary population planning language in its
subcontracts for review.

In the face of the 33 percent decrease in program funding, USAID/Southern Africa develop and implement an action plan to help ensure that Project Concern International's social mobilization program achieves its main objectives.

USAID/Southern Africa determine the allowability of $22,745 in ineligible questioned costs arising from the Women's Justice and Empowerment Initiative launch and recover from Research Triangle Institute, Inc., any amounts determined to be unallowable.

USAID/Southern Africa (1) notify its acquisition staff of USAID requirements related to the Contract Review Board and (2) establish a management control to help ensure that all prospective awards that meet the requirements for review by the Contract Review Board are submitted in a timely manner to the Board.

USAID/Southern Africa identify and implement steps to promote mutually beneficial collaboration between Project Concern International and EngenderHealth.

USAID/Southern Africa develop a plan to devote more staff resources to coordinating HIV/AIDS gender issues.

USAID/Southern Africa (1) immediately correct the noncompliance with Local Governance Support Program contractual branding requirements found at the Tembisa and Kopanong Thuthuzela Care Centers, and (2) devise a branding and marking plan for all Thuthuzela Care Centers to be established under the Women's Justice and Empowerment Initiative that is both acceptable to the South African Government and in accordance with contractual branding requirements.

USAID/Southern Africa establish policies and procedures to ensure that gender-specific targets for its HIV/AIDS indicators are set at the partner-level, where appropriate, in the next planning cycle.

USAID/Southern Africa, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as necessary, utilize the self-assessment tool prepared by the Gender Technical Working Group as a guide to improve the capability of the South African PEPFAR Partner Performance Assessment tool.

USAID/Sudan direct the Louis Berger Group to develop and implement a quality control plan for Modern Energy Services Program activities; and

USAID/Sudan develop and implement policies and procedures for monitoring the Louis Berger Group's quality control activities.

USAID/Sudan develop and implement a plan for establishing adequate internal controls at the Yei Electricity Cooperative in order to promote its long-term sustainability.

USAID/Sudan require the Louis Berger Group to confirm in writing that its subcontractor, National Rural Electricity Cooperative Association, regularly informs residents about program status.

The Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance issue guidance to all the Bureau's employees explaining and mandating the use of webTA's Premium Pay Request process for requesting approval to earn compensatory time.

The Director of the Office of Human Resources update Automated Directives System Chapter 472 and the USAID Web page to include the requirement that webTA be used for requesting and approving compensatory time.

The Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance communicate to the Bureau's employees and their supervisors the requirements that compensatory time requests must be justified, submitted, and approved before hours are worked and that such requests should be accurately coded.

The Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance authorize all DCHA supervisors to receive training in the regulations and processes related to regular and travel compensatory time.

USAID/Kenya critically evaluate its economic growth activities to determine whether they are designed to achieve the mission's strategic goals, and determine whether funds could be more effectively allocated.

USAID/Kenya implement procedures to evaluate periodically the extent to which economic growth activities are contributing towards achieving stated strategic goals, including an analysis of programming options.

USAID/Kenya remind its implementing partners involved in policy analysis and advocacy of policy advocacy objectives to help ensure that implementing partners advocate for policies consistent with USAID strategy.

USAID/Kenya (a) review its fiscal year 2009 Full Performance Plan and Report submission, (b) identify which figures are inaccurate, and (c) revise the report accordingly to prevent others from relying on inaccurate figures in the future.

USAID/Kenya review monitoring and evaluation documents, including the performance monitoring plans for implementing partners and the mission, and make the necessary changes to ensure that performance indicators are consistently defined.

USAID/Kenya communicate to all implementing partners the way performance reporting should be prepared, stressing the need to maintain supporting documentation for all reported information.

USAID/Kenya develop a schedule for agreement officer's technical representatives and contracting officer's technical representatives to review periodically the performance reporting systems and information for the agreements and contracts they oversee.

USAID/Nepal adjust, if cost-effective, the eligibility requirements for targeted beneficiaries of the Education for Income Generation Program to include a limited number of disadvantaged residents older than 30 who could
benefit from program interventions so as to allow youth in more remote, sparsely populated communities to participate in the program.

USAID/Nepal direct its contractor to modify the program's database to include actual final test scores, instead of recording only pass-fail information, to enable the contractor to identify weaknesses and tailor its interventions to address the educational needs of beneficiaries.

USAID/Nepal direct its contractor to include final test scores in its formal reporting procedures.

USAID/Nepal determine the cause of the lower tests score in the Karnali Zone and make adjustments, as necessary, to tailor the literacy, life skills, and entrepreneurship training component of the Education for Income
Generation Program to better assist beneficiaries there.

USAID/Nepal work with its contractor to include more math content in its literacy, life skills, and entrepreneurship training curriculum.

USAID/Nepal clarify the " retaining quality employment " indicator it is using to measure the impact of the Education for Income Generation Program's vocational education component.

USAID/Nepal take steps to ensure that assessment results are accurately attributed from the statistical samples to the rest of the population and that accurate projections are reflected in upcoming progress reports.

USAID/Pakistan revise the implementer's third-year implementation plan to establish ambitious yet achievable targets, outcomes, and goals, and modify the program's cooperative agreement as required to reflect these changes.

USAID/Pakistan develop and implement a plan to collect baseline data so that progress in achieving the program's outcomes and goals can be measured throughout the remainder of the program.

USAID/Pakistan develop written procedures to document, track, and take corrective action on all deficiencies identified in reports independent6 monitoring reviewers.

USAID/Pakistan verify that the material internal control weaknesses identified in the financial review are corrected and document the results.

USAID/Pakistan make a management decision regarding the allowability of $767,841 in questioned costs ($432,482 ineligible and $335,359 unsupported) identified in the financial review and recover those costs determined to be unallowable.

USAID/Pakistan issue a mission order that establishes security standards to be used when reviewing implementers' security plans and when collaborating with implementing partners throughout implementation.

USAID/Pakistan revisit the implementing partner's approved request for additional security funding, document any adjustments needed, and make a written determination regarding the provision of funding.

USAID/Pakistan develop and implement a periodic training program for mission staff that clearly defines the authority, responsibility, and accountability of agreement officers, technical representatives, and program staff, including their communications with implementers, to support an effective management control environment. Because of the constant changes in personnel, we recommend that the training materials be made available on USAID/Pakistan's Intranet for all new arrivals to review in the interim between training sessions.

USAID/Pakistan develop and implement a plan, in compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 37.114 and Office of Management and Budget guidance, to provide proper oversight and management of contractors that support contract and agreement administration.

USAID/Pakistan perform an analysis, as a template for the mission, to establish the sufficiency of the mission's internal capability for control and management of contractors working on the Livelihood Development Program, taking into account the goals of the program, the complexity of the work, the need for specialized skills, and the effect of contactor default on program performance.

USAID/Pakistan develop and implement a mission workforce plan with guidelines for the consideration of increasing the use of U.S. direct-hire personnel for positions engaged in services closely associated with inherently governmental functions.

USAID/Pakistan develop and implement definitive plans for the Livelihood Development Program in regard to the shift toward more direct funding to Pakistani institutions, including incremental funding, budgets, transition plans, and any other information that may require modifications of relevant agreements and contracts. Moreover, we recommend that USAID/Pakistan designate appropriate personnel to communicate these plans to implementers and the Government of Pakistan.

USAID's Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Cost, Audit and Support, determine the allowability of $325,275 in questioned costs and collect, as appropriate, any disallowed amounts from CARE USA.

USAID's Office of Acquisition and Assistance, Cost, Audit and Support, follow up with CARE USA to ensure that the auditor's recommendations in Findings 2009-01 to 2009-39 (page numbers 70 to 226 of the audit report) have been implemented.