UNICEF CSO ProcedureOverview of key changes, March 2015

Supersedes 2009 PCAs and SSFAs Guidelines (CF/EXD/2009-011) effective April 1, 2015

For use by Country & Regional Offices

All agreements entered into prior to effective date remain valid. Any new agreement/ amendments – except no cost extensions - follow new Procedure

Overview

PCA “umbrella” legal agreement to cover duration of the country programme

Details of the partnership defined in accompanying programme document(s) – results, work plan, budget

SSFA limit raised to $50K

Can be used in humanitarian response also for transfer of 3 months supplies

New legal agreements

Not included MoU – where there is no transfer of resources

Clarifies Partnership vs Procurement

Procurement Partnership

UNICEF defines scope of work & results to be achieved. CSO identified through competitive bidding process Institutional contract or Long-Term Arrangement for

Services (LTAS)

UNICEF and the CSO pool together resources to achieve commonly defined results, sharing costs and benefits Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA)

or Small-Scale Funding Agreement (SSFA)

No set amount for contribution but a key requirement for partnership

If major components of programmes to be sub-contracted, other options should be considered

These modalities can be used concurrently with the same CSO

Requires documentation of CSO selection

Direct selection

UNICEF office partners with a CSO for a specific proposal– Responsive to specific

considerations, such as known expertise, timing/ criticality of intervention, innovation…

– Limits transparency/ cost effectiveness analysis

Open selection

UNICEF office issues a call for expression of interest– Transparent process– Supports identification of new

partners/ approaches– May require more time

Type of agreement Core values HACT/ Micro

assessmentProgramme assessment

Simplified financial asses.

PCA with regular, contingency or humanitarian)

Mandatory before partnership

If CSO expected to receive $100K or more/ year before or after PCA onset

CO discretion

CO discretion when partnership <$100/year (before or after PCA onset)

SSFA Mandatory before partnership

Not required CO discretion

CO discretion

Clarifies due diligence process

• Done by HQ for ICSO• By COs for other CSO based on Partner Declaration & check of UN sanctions list

Ability to deliver programme results part of CSO selection process

Reduced narrative Results-based workplan & budget in the same table Budget defined at activity – not input level Includes planned assurance activities & partnership

review dates

Simplified programme document

Simplified programme document/ humanitarian response

Key featuresProgramme DocumentRegular programme or emergency response

Simplified Humanitarian DocFirst 3 months of humanitarian response or L2/L3 emergencies

1. Programme info & CSO overview

Basic Very basic

2. Programme description

Brief but complete programme rationale & expected results

Simplified humanitarian data & targets for the response

3. Workplan & budget

Results, performance indicators activities, timeframe & budget

Simplified activity based budget with 1 line for ops&mngt costs

4. Partnership review plan

Complete plan of reviews with UNICEF

Status of assessments & risk management measures (if any)

5. Other Additional reporting & technical guidance

N/A

Signatures & date Yes Yes

Programme costs include a standard output & activities for Effective & Efficient Progr. Management Replace DPSC and the

associated 25% cap HQ Support Costs same rate (7%

of cash component) payable to INGOs upon reporting

actual expenditures – not as advance Payment to national CSOs at Rep.

discretion Not applicable to SSFAs

Revised budgeting & detailed guidance

Detailed guidance on budgeting, eligible expenses & other fin./ admin. issues (currency, bank account, VAT..)

Benchmark of 45 days to operationalize partnership in regular programme 20 days for initial disbursement of donor funs in

humanitarian action Benchmark of 10 working days for disbursing funds

following submission of properly filled FACE form Accompanied by itemized cost estimate – ICE

New benchmarks for CSO partnerships

Guidance on partnership management

Joint Partnership Review meeting if partnership >$100K

PCA/Programme document revisions guidance

Streamlined reporting

Simple template for quarterly reporting on results aligned to reporting with FACE – no additional report required

Additional reporting requirements to be agreed upfront in progr.doc (e.g. monthly reporting in humanitarian situations)

Options for onset of humanitarian response

Type of partnership

Programme instruments for rapid response Approval

Ongoing partnership

Contingency PCA/ prog.doc Rep.

Simplified humanitarian progr.doc Rep.

Revision of existing progr.doc Rep.

New partnership

PCA + Simplified humanitarian progr.doc Rep.

SSFA Rep.

New role of SSFA to transfer up to 3 months of supplies for immediate distribution

IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, REPORTING

STEP 1Identifying CSO

STEP 2Designing & Formalising

Relationships

STEP 3Implementation, Monitoring &

Reporting

STEP 4Concluding,

Suspension or Termination

In summary – New Procedure Overview

CONCLUDINGIDENTIFYING CSO

Procurement vs Partnership: decision tree & list of services

CSO selection Core values ICSOs – done by HQ

based on Partner Declaration

PCA “umbrella” legal agreement covering CP or grant duration

SSFA for transfers <$50,000 & 3 months supplies in emergency

New Programme doc. Template & Simplified emergency doc

Guidance on Budgetary issues

Assurance activities integrated in the Prg.Doc as per HACT

Financial & programmatic quarterly reporting with FACE

Annual Partnership Review meeting

Guidance for revisions & PCA amendment form

Activity closure & performance review

Termination of programme document/ partnership

DESIGNING & FORMALISING RELATIONSHIP

Roll-out activities (staff & CSO)

Key 2015 activities Q2 Q3 Q4

Training material/tools

2 pager Overview of key changes for partners & staff

2 pager Overview of CSO Procedure

Partner version of the CSO Procedure

Training materials (presentation, website, intranet)

Working with CSO e-course for staff & partners

Capacity building events

Dedicated CSO roll-out/TOT trainings

Series of webinars Mar-Apr. & on request

Orientation on new Procedure mainstreamed in key regional events Feb. onwards entry point for training of CSO partners at regional level

Thank you for your inputs

Global Results Network members

HQ divisions, especially EMOPS

CSO community

Individual country offices

WASH specialist

Thank you for your inputs