Annual Progress Report, Year 3: July 2021 to June 2022

The activity is implemented by EnCompass LLC, with a budget of $9,499,917.97 and a period of implementation from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2024. The MELS activity is divided into four components, each focusing on a specific aspect of M&E capacity strengthening. Component 1 aims to increase the use of evaluation and assessment results, while Component 2 focuses on increasing the use of monitoring data. Component 3 targets the strengthening of government of Peru M&E capacity for learning and accountability, and Component 4 focuses on strengthening and sustainable collaboration, learning, and knowledge management. During the third year of implementation, the MELS activity team faced challenges related to the recurrent Peruvian political crises and new waves of COVID-19. To address these challenges, the team held bimonthly meetings and quarterly revisions of project progress with the client, which helped to identify priorities and adjust work management accordingly. The team also received contract modification number 6, which provided additional flexibility in work management, fee billing, and a compensation plan with the addition of a new position. Component 1 was particularly busy during Year 3, with the team completing performance evaluations of two alternative development activities supporting Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo y Vida sin Drogas (DEVIDA). The team also launched the interim evaluation of the Natural Infrastructure for Water Security (NIWS) and the final evaluation of the three activities under USAID Global Development Alliances (GDA). Additionally, under the indefinite portion of Component 1 (CLIN 2), the team completed reports, presentations, and communication products of the assessments of civil society involvement activities and Peruvian youth participation, as well as two small studies on the gender analysis of Venezuelan migrants and qualitative data collection and processing in support of USAID/Peru Alternative Development technical office. The MELS activity also made progress in strengthening government of Peru M&E capacity for learning and accountability. The team worked closely with the client to identify priorities and adjust work management accordingly, and received contract modification number 6, which provided additional flexibility in work management, fee billing, and a compensation plan with the addition of a new position. In terms of geographic focus, the MELS activity is implemented in Peru, with a focus on strengthening the government of Peru's M&E capacity for learning and accountability. The activity also has a cross-cutting theme of gender and vulnerable populations, with a focus on promoting gender equality and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. Overall, the MELS activity in Peru has made significant progress in strengthening the government of Peru's M&E capacity for learning and accountability, despite the challenges posed by the recurrent Peruvian political crises and new waves of COVID-19. The activity's focus on collaboration, learning, and knowledge management has helped to build the capacity of the government of Peru to monitor and evaluate its development programs, and to use the results of these evaluations to inform decision-making and improve development outcomes.