After-Action Review: Senior Obligation Alignment Review (SOAR)

The SOAR process is designed to ensure that all planned acquisition and assistance awards are aligned with the Agency's strategic priorities and policies. The process involves a comprehensive review of proposed awards by various stakeholders, including Bureau/Independent Office (B/IO) Reviewers, Liaisons, and the SOAR Secretariat. The SOAR process has undergone significant improvements in recent years, with the implementation of new policies and procedures aimed at streamlining the review process and reducing delays. One of the key recommendations of the After-Action Review (AAR) is to raise the thresholds for non-Public International Organizations (PIOs) to $40-80 million for Assistant Administrator (AA) review and $80 million and above for Administrator (A/AID) review. This change is intended to delegate greater approval authority to Mission Directors and reduce the workload of the Agency's leadership. Another key recommendation is to create a waiver process for time-sensitive activities, including crisis activities not funded by the International Disaster Assistance account (IDA), activities under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and those funded with expiring funds. This waiver process will enable the Agency to respond quickly to emerging crises and ensure that critical activities are not delayed. The SOAR process also requires significant improvements in communication and outreach. The AAR recommends updating the SOAR Document Template to reflect the priorities of the Agency's Front Office better, as well as updating the SOAR MyUSAID page with additional training materials and help documents. These changes will help to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of the SOAR process and its requirements. In addition, the AAR recommends establishing Terms of Reference for Liaisons that encompasses both types of roles (drafting or reviewing) and associated responsibilities/expectations. This will help to clarify the role of Liaisons and ensure that they are equipped to provide effective support to Planners and Reviewers. The SOAR process has made significant progress in recent years, with the average dollar amount for PIOs reviewed at the AA level increasing to $1,736,423 and the average dollar amount for PIOs reviewed at the A/AID level increasing to $49,566,048. The total dollar amount for all SOARs was $2,636,703,004 as of December 21, 2018. The performance summary snapshot indicates that the average work days of approved activities (excluding pauses) was 41 for the Administrator Approval Process and 13 for the Assistant Administrator Approval Process. The target work days for the Administrator Approval Process was 35, while the target work days for the Assistant Administrator Approval Process was 16. Overall, the SOAR process is a critical component of USAID's management framework, and significant improvements have been made in recent years to streamline the review process and reduce delays. However, there is still work to be done to ensure that the SOAR process is effective and efficient, and that all stakeholders are aware of its requirements.