“Act”

Delivering through projects

Effective Country Programme = Effective Projects

What is important for effective delivery of FAO’s projects?

Purpose of the New Project Cycle (PC): Effective Projects Delivery

New Guide to Project Cycle aims to:

• Improve strategic alignment of projects and their contribution to country results

• Improve accountability

• Support decentralization

• Support Results Based Management of projects

• Mainstreaming quality standards through the projects cycle steps including the mainstreaming of the UN common programming principles

Overview of the new PC• Upgrade of PC management based on best

practices

• Applies to all projects, including emergency and UNJP.

• Supersedes previous Field Programme Circulars

and TC procedures concerning the Project Cycle.

• Tools: PC guidelines, practical guidance, FPMIS web-based workflows and users manual.

• Support available: TCDM advice, training sessions, FPMIS help desk .

FAO Project Cycle - phases

Identification

Formulation

Appraisal and Approval

Implementation and Monitoring

Evaluation

Closure

Project document

Terminal report Concept Note

Progress reports

Five Steps:

1. Identification of a project to address specific problem/need of

members to support the achievement of agreed

higher level outcomes (CPF)

2. Establishment of a Project Task Force

3. Preparation of the Concept Note (CN)

4. Formalization of relations with Resource Partners

5. Appraisal and endorsement of the CN

Phase 1. Identification : Steps

More holistic and reinforced Project Task Force (PTF) Roles and responsibilities clarified Under the authority of a Chair according to the new rules Start operating at the identification stage Evolve at subsequent stages into a fully-fledged structure

with appropriate skill mix

Designation of Lead Technical Officer (LTO) & Technical Unit (LTU)1. FAO Circular on Responsibilities and Relationships 2. Identified by PTF chair based on geographic proximity,

LTU always consulted. 3. ROs accountable for assessing their capacity as LTU. 4. Functional relationship between LTO and technical

divisions maintained.

Phase 1: Identification, step 2 Establishment of the Project Task

Force (PTF)

Identification Step - Concept Note

The Project Concept Note is necessary for all type of projects:

• Ensures strategic fit between a project idea and higher level outcome (CPF/OR)

• Structures preliminary stakeholders and problem analysis in terms of relevance, feasibility and potential sustainability (preliminary analysis of the UN PPs)

• To be downloaded from FPMIS

Phase 1: Identification, step 3 The Concept Note

Phase 1: Identification, step 5Concept Note Work Flow

__ Applies to regional, sub-regional and national projects Steps__ Applies to global and interregional projects Responsible officer__ Applies both

Endorsement of the CN

MDT officers and other representatives of technical divisions not represented in the MDT for all substantive issues which are relevant for the project ;NR officer validates the categorization

Technical divisions’ officers as well as DOs officers relevant for the project ; NR validates the categorization for categorization

Project formulator

PTF chairperson:

RR/SRC/FAOR or a delegated officer

Head of the technical division/service or delegated officer

Funding Liaison Officer

Project formulator

Peer Review of the CN

The CN is finalized and uploaded into FPMIS

Review of resource mobilization opportunities

Preparation of the CN

Phase 1. Concept Note in FPMIS

A DEMO

• PD formulated by the Project formulatorwith the full support of the PTF members

• Use generic template generated in FPMIS

• PD further supported by FPMIS tools for the preparation of:– the logical framework matrix, – results-based budget which feeds into Oracle, – work plan– risk matrix

• FAO formulation Outputs: – Project Document (25 pages + annexes) – project agreement – funding agreement

Phase 2. Formulation – Project Document

Consists of:1. Interdisciplinary Technical Review

PD submitted to MDT and other relevant officers

2. Quality Assurance Review: one submission for all clearances. PD submitted to project appraisal committeefor financial, technical and operational clearanceand adherence to the programming principles

Two QA reports per yearproduced by TCDM in collaboration with ROs on the results of the appraisal providing a picture of the quality of project documents by quality criteria.

Lessons learned

available to inform future design of projects.

Phase 3. The New Appraisal Process

• Project appraisal committee coordinated by regional officer for national, sub regional and regional projects.

• Check list used to appraise

Phase 3. The New Appraisal Process: the Quality Assurance

Review

• Officer in charge of the reviewRelevance

• LTU • CSF• LEG• Operational clearance by BH, SFPO

Feasibility

• Officer in charge of the reviewSustainability

Group exercise From CPF outcome:1. Identify a project within an existing programmatic

framework (CPF, SRF, RF)2. Propose a title and an outcome statement for your

project 3. Identify an OR to which this project will contribute

If you can:• Participants & other stakeholders• Sustainability of the proposal• Synergies with other FAO projects/programmes

Main features of the new monitoring and reportingframework:

• Single frameworkpositions BH /managers to meet reporting requirements

• Information from projects consolidated for corporate needs: CWP, CPF, OR.

• Significant share of information generated by information systems (FPMIS and PIRES)

Phase 4: Monitoring and Reporting Framework