AIDSTAR-Two Project Trip Report – Algeria

The purpose of the trip was to provide follow-up one-to-one tailored technical support to the International HIV/AIDS Alliance's implementing partners in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco regarding USAID/USG rules and regulations and financial management best practices. The objectives of the trip were to review progress made by ATL, APCS, and AMSED on USAID compliance action plans and recommendations from previous technical support visits, provide updates on USAID rules and regulations, and support AIDSTAR-Two project partners on closeout preparation activities. The team utilized a partner profile document summarizing the visit findings and progress, helped each partner complete a closeout matrix with key dates and point persons for various closeout-related tasks, and provided face-to-face guidance and training to the partners' finance managers and teams on financial management and closeout. The AIDSTAR-Two project has implemented several USAID compliance and financial management strengthening activities with the MENA grantees, including a USAID compliance audit in mid-2011, a Regional USAID compliance and financial management workshop conducted in January/February 2012, follow-up visits in 2012 to review and monitor compliance status of each partner, and technical support and closeout preparation planning in Morocco and Tunisia in April 2013. The final technical support visit with each partner went well, and the field team was able to meet and work with all key project staff members in ATL, APCS, and AMSED. The Senior Management Team and Board of Directors at APCS were particularly engaged and mobilized during the visit. Highlights from the field visits include the review of compliance status, closeout preparation, and technical support provided to the partners in areas such as file management, bank reconciliations, petty cash management, sub-award management, procurement, inventory/asset management, and personnel files. The team agreed with the grantees on actions to be addressed prior to the closeout of the AIDSTAR-Two grant cycle, including updating certain procurement or HR files, and presented the grantee partners with various medium and longer-term recommendations for consideration in future cycles. The key findings from the recent technical support cycle for Algeria-APCS include strengths and improvements noted since the 2012 Regional Workshop, such as committee review for procurement vendor selection, timesheets complete and on file, inventory/asset management procedures, peer educator files and monitoring process, and maintenance of financial and HR files in secure, locked cabinets. The areas being addressed and for future focus for Algeria-APCS include training for new finance/accounting staff, cash management, procurement files and full documentation, internal controls and prior approvals, improved accounting system per national norms, revision of procedures and policies manual, and consolidation of files and improved organization. The team also provided technical assistance to the partners in various areas, including file management, bank reconciliations, petty cash management, sub-award management, procurement, inventory/asset management, and personnel files, and presented the grantee partners with various medium and longer-term recommendations for consideration in future cycles.