Recommendation Dashboard

USAID/Afghanistan direct CARE International to (1) develop clear standards on teacher training, to be followed by all four partners, which define the requisite training workshops that each teacher
must receive to be considered fully prepared to teach his or her students; and (2) develop and implement a plan to ensure that all supported teachers receive the requisite training in its entirety.

USAID/Afghanistan direct CARE International to carry out the data quality assurance procedures specified in its performance monitoring plan, which include random field visits at least quarterly to verify the quality of the data furnished by field staff and reported to USAID.

USAID/Afghanistan (1) conduct a data quality assessment in accordance with the guidance contained in USAID's Automated Directives System (ADS 203.3.5) and (2) conduct limited testing in
conjunction with future site visits to provide assurance as to whether the mission can rely on the results data reported under key performance indicators.

USAID/Afghanistan direct CARE International to (1) develop a formal class integration strategy and a process that allow for the effective integration of the program's primary education classes into the Ministry of Education's school system and provide a viable alternative that
allows children to continue their learning without having to travel long distances; and (2) implement this integration strategy for all new and, if possible, formerly integrated classes by the program's completion date.

USAID/Morocco and its implementing partner develop and implement a plan to ensure that grantees are aware of their financial management obligations and other USAID rules, regulations, and expectations.

USAID/Morocco and its implementing partner modify all grant agreements to include specific requirements for progress reports, financial reports, cost-sharing contributions, and site visits, and ensure that these requirements are included in newly awarded grants.

USAID/Morocco require the implementing partner to provide quarterly financial reports that (a) include cumulative actual expenditures for the year for each line item in the project's approved budget and (b) differentiate expenses of the Office of Education funds from those of the Office of Democracy and Governance.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President of Compact Operations finalize the Millennium Challenge Account-Vanuatu's monitoring and evaluation plan by confirming approval of the plan for implementation.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations, develop and implement a process that would measure the progress of projects annually throughout the compact to help ensure intended results are met.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations, direct Millennium Challenge Account-Vanuatu to formally respond to data quality review recommendations, and post the reviews and responses on its website as required by the Millennium Challenge Corporation's monitoring and evaluation policy.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations develop a written strategy to resolve budget shortfalls when they occur.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations, develop a written strategy to support Millennium Challenge Account-Vanuatu's efforts to strengthen Vanuatu's Public Works Department's ability to maintain the roads.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations, finalize Millennium Challenge Account-Vanuatu's draft closeout plan.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President for Compact Operations, develop written procedures for the Millennium Challenge Account-Vanuatu on safeguarding documents that serve as permanent records, and on locating and identifying key missing documents of program activities.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Vice President of Compact Operations require the Government of Burkina Faso to develop and implement an action plan to fund repairs in the BRIGHT schools.

Work with USAID to revise indicators, targets, and baselines listed in Appendix III to ensure more effective monitoring of the BRIGHT II schools project.

Implement a policy for monitoring and evaluation when a U.S. Government entity administers a compact program.

We recommend that, to avoid potential delays, MCA-Mali initiate planning to arrange for clearance or approval from customs that will expedite the movement of project materials and supplies through customs.

We recommend that MCA-Mali review the status of all planned expenditures and cancel any significant operational expenditures, such as the planned building renovation, that are not directly related to project activities.

We recommend that MCA-Mali revise its Procurement Operations Manual to be consistent with the Millennium Challenge Corporation Program Procurement Guidelines, and include the correct thresholds for all procurement methods.

We recommend that MCA-Mali revise its Procurement Operations Manual to describe the numbering process to be used for purchase requisition notes and to require that purchase requisition notes include estimated costs.

We recommend that MCA-Mali revise its vehicle policy to establish proper control and accountability over vehicle use that includes (a) destination signatures by users and (b) accounting for mileage and fuel usage.

We recommend that MCA-Mali establish valid employment contracts for all employees.

We recommend that MCA-Mali develop and implement a plan to fully implement its Manual of Administrative Procedures to ensure that all personnel files are complete, including personnel evaluations, applications, memos of negotiation, and reasons for significant personnel actions.

We recommend that MCC require that all accountable entities have their proposed independent consultants prepare a "Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet" and certify that the historical consultant rates presented on such forms are accurate and true, in order to ensure that independent consultants' proposed rates are reasonable and comparable to historical compensation rates.

We recommend that MCA-Mali provide written justification for needing 54 computers for a staff of 35 and explain how the computers are currently being used.

We recommend that MCC develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that its accountable entities purchase only the minimum type, quality, and quantity of vehicles necessary to accomplish the compact's objectives.

We recommend that MCC (a) clearly communicate to the management of all accountable entities that premium class travel should only be used under unusual circumstances, such as for urgent travel where a trip is in excess of 14 hours and scheduling constraints preclude an en route rest stop, and (b) ensure that all accountable entities do not have travel policies and procedures that would result in charges exceeding those which would be paid in accordance with MCC's travel policies.

We recommend that MCC book hotel rooms for accountable entities' staff at rates within the allowable daily lodging rates established by the General Services Administration.

We recommend that MCA determine the allowability of the $407,767 in questioned costs and recover the amounts determined to be unallowable.

USAID/Kenya determine the extent of its responsibilities for health-care waste generated by its HIV/AIDS service providers.

USAID/Kenya develop a plan with milestones to implement its responsibilities for health-care waste generated by its HIV/AIDS service providers, including the revision of all relevant program documents and agreements.

USAID/Kenya immediately require, in writing, that implementing partners conduct necessary water tests at all completed water points constructed or refurbished for human consumption, take any corrective action necessary, and require written reports detailing test results and actions taken.

USAID/Kenya develop and implement a plan to ensure that all implementing partners conduct required water tests at all future water points constructed or refurbished for human consumption.

USAID/Kenya develop a mission order on environmental compliance that outlines roles, responsibilities, and expectations at the mission.

USAID/Kenya develop and implement a plan with milestones to increase time and resources available to the mission environmental officer function.

USAID/Kenya develop a plan with milestones for training mission staff and implementing partners in environmental requirements, procedures, and expectations.

For activities with threshold decisions of Negative Determination with Conditions and Positive Determination, we recommend that USAID/Kenya develop and implement a plan with steps to a) incorporate environmental assessment and monitoring requirements into solicitations and signed awards and b) incorporate environmental expertise into the selection criteria for implementing partners.

USAID/Kenya update its natural resource management initial environmental examination.

USAID/Kenya amend its initial environmental examination for health to include the President's Malaria Initiative program and to remove the recommended deferral.

USAID/Kenya develop and implement a plan with steps to ensure that required environmental documentation, including initial environmental examinations, pesticide evaluation reports and safer use action plans, environmental screening forms, and environmental mitigation and monitoring plans, is completed, updated, and clearly reported on in quarterly and annual reports, as appropriate.

USAID/Kenya develop and implement a plan to ensure that agreement and contracting officer's technical representatives incorporate environmental monitoring into site visits.

USAID/Kenya notify mission personnel and implementing partners in writing about the free resources to aid environmental monitoring that are available on the Environmentally Sound Design and Management Capacity Building for Partners and Programs in Africa Web site.

USAID/Afghanistan conduct appropriate risk and impact assessments of current and proposed locations that are targeted for Local Governance and Community Development subprojects to determine whether the security environment in those locations is permissive enough to allow civilian implementation and monitoring efforts to proceed without interference from insurgent groups.

USAID/Afghanistan direct Development Alternatives, Inc., to conduct an internal audit of all offices under the Local Governance and Community Development Project to evaluate internal controls and take appropriate corrective actions on any material weaknesses identified and fraud uncovered. A copy of the report is to be provided to the USAID/Afghanistan Controller and the USAID Office of Inspector General.

USAID/Afghanistan direct Development Alternatives, Inc., to implement policies and procedures to perform adequate cost analysis of fair market prices and to detect and prevent inflated costs and possible fraudulent activity as part of its subcontracting process for the Local Governance and Community Development Project.

USAID/Afghanistan develop an action plan to maintain a sufficient level of oversight of subcontracting and purchasing systems by Development Alternatives, Inc., for the Local Governance and Community Development Project.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation develop and implement a centralized system to monitor value-added tax and incorporate it into its policies and procedures.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation establish a system for collecting value-added tax data on payments, reimbursements, and outstanding balances.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation revise guidance to Millennium Challenge Accounts to establish comprehensive policies and procedures related to Millennium Challenge Accounts' value-added tax transactions and establish internal controls in accordance with best practices.

We recommend that the Millennium Challenge Corporation issue appropriate guidance to Millennium Challenge Accounts to develop standard policies and procedures to require value-added tax recording, transaction tracking, and reporting in their Fund Accountability Statements.

USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives increase the number of potential beneficiaries by expanding cash-for-work efforts to labor-intensive community improvement projects other than rubble removal.

Office of Transition Initiatives seek partners that can provide the required trucks and heavy equipment to implement cash-for-work rubble removal efforts.

Office of Transition Initiatives and the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance adopt standardized policies and procedures regarding safety equipment use, monitoring, and response to accidents at cash-for-work sites.

Office of Transition Initiatives require implementing partners to develop written policies and procedures regarding the participation of community members other than elected officials in the selection of beneficiaries for cash-for-work projects.

Office of Transition Initiatives require implementing partners to submit detailed justification for the removal of rubble from private residential sites.

As part of its monitoring and evaluation effort, the Office of Transition Initiatives require the validation and review of any home site included in rubble removal.

USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives schedule and conduct financial reviews of all implementing partners, following the protocols developed by USAID/Haiti.

USAID/Philippines develop and implement procedures that include data validation steps in site visits and document the results.

USAID/Philippines require its implementing partner to develop and implement data validation steps in its monitoring visits and document the results.

USAID/Philippines require the implementing partner to validate the performance data reported in fiscal year 2009 and certify the accuracy of the data in its management information system.

USAID/Philippines clarify the definition of the teacher training indicator with the implementing partner, in writing, and require the implementing partner to verify and report the accomplishments that meet the indicator definition.

USAID/Philippines take immediate action to clarify the targets that the implementing partner is responsible for achieving by the end of the program. Those targets should be clearly communicated and agreed to by the implementing partner and incorporated in key performance management documents.

USAID/Philippines require the implementing partner to include a budget in the remaining annual work plans and submit them for approval before implementation of activities.

USAID/Philippines require the implementing partner to update the monitoring and evaluation plan to reflect the approved targets and new program framework.

USAID/Philippines require its implementing partner to develop and implement a plan to (1) identify how the mentoring program will be implemented and monitored at schools and (2) assist mentors in completing the core training courses in the identified subject areas and document each mentor's completion of the courses.

USAID/Philippines require its implementing partner to establish written procedures for providing adequate oversight of program partners' activities.

USAID/Philippines mandate that all agreements and contracts have a clause requiring partners and subpartners to report all suspicion or allegation of waste, fraud, abuse, or corruption through appropriate channels including USAID's Office of Inspector General.