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International Food Assistance: USAID Is Taking Actions to Improve Monitoring and Evaluation of Nonemergency Food Aid, but Weaknesses in Planning Could Impede Efforts

GAO-09-980 Published: Sep 28, 2009. Publicly Released: Sep 28, 2009.
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Highlights

In passing the Food for Peace Act in 2008, Congress authorized up to $22 million annually for fiscal years 2009 to 2012 to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve, monitor, and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of nonemergency food aid programs. Congress also required USAID to report on its oversight of these programs and the Comptroller General to review and report to Congress on USAID's report. Through analysis of agency documents; interviews with agency officials, experts, and partners; and visits to Bangladesh and Haiti, this mandated report reviews (1) USAID's plans and actions to improve its monitoring and evaluation of nonemergency food aid programs and (2) the extent to which USAID has integrated its monitoring and evaluation of nonemergency food aid with program management.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
U.S. Agency for International Development To facilitate the implementation of ongoing efforts to improve monitoring and evaluation and ensure effective program management of nonemergency food aid, the Administrator of USAID should develop a concept of operations document to help reduce the risks associated with upgrading FFP's information technology system. Such a document should adhere to industry best practices and include key elements such as major system components, interfaces to external systems, and performance characteristics. It would also describe system characteristics for a proposed system from a user's point of view and include high-level descriptions of information systems, their interrelationships, and information flows.
Closed – Implemented
In response to our report, USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) agreed with our recommendation to develop a concept of operations document to help reduce the risks associated with upgrading FFP's information technology system as we recommended. Such a document should adhere to industry best practices and include key elements such as major system components, interfaces to external systems, and performance characteristics. It would also describe system characteristics for a proposed system from a user's point of view and include high-level descriptions of information systems, their interrelationships, and information flows. On or about July 15, 2011, FFP issued a concept of operations document that is consistent with industry best practices and includes the recommended key elements. Since that time, the agency has awarded contracts to develop the new information system for FFP based on this document and system development started. As such, we consider FFP's actions to be responsive to our recommendation.
U.S. Agency for International Development To facilitate the implementation of ongoing efforts to improve monitoring and evaluation and ensure effective program management of nonemergency food aid, the Administrator of USAID should develop an integrated monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure that the results of its oversight activities are used for effective management of nonemergency food aid programs. Such a plan should, among other things, (1) link monitoring and evaluation to key USAID and FFP goals; (2) establish a systematic process for determining appropriate budget levels and staff resources for monitoring and evaluation based on an analysis of the nature, scope, and size of the programs, and the unique conditions presented, in the recipient countries; (3) examine all available options for funding monitoring and evaluation at headquarters and in recipient countries; and (4) establish time frames for implementing and evaluating the plan.
Closed – Not Implemented
USAID has not developed an integrated M&E plan for its development food assistance programs. However, in response to our recommendation, USAID did take a number of actions to improve its M&E efforts including, among others, issuing standard program indicators; starting the Technical and Operational Performance Support Program in 2011; and continuing to collaborate with USAID's Bureau of Food Security and Feed the Future Initiative to align standard program indicators. Nevertheless, USAID has not demonstrated that its actions have met each of the four criteria set forth by GAO?s recommendation, which we maintain are needed for effective management of development food assistance programs.

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Topics

Agency reportsAgricultural programsData collectionDeveloping countriesEvaluationEvaluation methodsFederal aid to foreign countriesFederal fundsFood programs for childrenFood relief programsFood supplyForeign aid programsInformation technologyInternational food programsInternational relationsMonitoringProgram evaluationProgram managementReporting requirementsStrategic planningSystems evaluationForeign assistancePolicies and proceduresProgram goals or objectives