Annual Work Plan - Year 1 for Peacebuilding Evaluation, Analysis, Research, and Learning (PEARL)

The intended outcome of PEARL is to support the USAID Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention (CVP) with services that improve the ability of USAID Missions to identify systems, tools, and development interventions that contribute to the prevention of armed conflict and violence. PEARL provides direct support to USAID/CPS/CVP, which has a mission of helping USAID Missions prevent and mitigate the impacts of conflict and violence by providing technical assistance, funding, and mechanisms. The PEARL task order will provide innovative, data-driven, and high-quality peacebuilding evaluations, analysis, and research designed to address the unique challenges of Mission contexts. Both Missions and Operating Units (OUs) working in conflict and violence-affected settings will be able to use the PEARL platform to commission analyses and evaluations that employ best practices in conflict-sensitive and peacebuilding-focused monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). The primary audience of the PEARL mechanism is USAID's peacebuilding community of practice, including CPS/CVP technical staff, USAID Mission and OU technical staff, and practitioners of the peacebuilding community. PEARL is designed to address CVP's program cycle knowledge gaps, strengthen CVP's strategic engagement and technical services for its core set of Missions, and support CVP with applied learning, improved evidence, and innovative tools to enhance conflict analysis. PEARL is designed to provide analytical and evaluation support to USAID staff working on peace and security programming regardless of sector. During its implementation, PEARL will follow guidance and policy directives provided by the USAID Evaluation Policy, ADS 201, and ADS 205. PEARL will be familiar with MEL tools provided by USAID/PPL and the USAID Learning Lab for potential use. The PEARL task order contract outlines six technical areas: 1) Assessments, Analysis, Research, Studies, and Surveys; 2) Performance and Impact Evaluations; 3) Knowledge Management, Training, and Dissemination; 4) Geospatial Information Services; 5) Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting Activities; and 6) Rapid Response Analytical Assistance. A core function of USAID/CPS/CVP is to assist Missions and OUs worldwide in the process of conflict analysis and assessment. PEARL will use the USAID Violence and Conflict Assessment Framework (VCAF) to generate diagnostic information and recommendations to inform USAID strategies, policies, and programs. Violence and Conflict Assessment (VCA), including conflict sensitivity analysis, is the first step in designing conflict-sensitive development and peacebuilding programs. PEARL will provide Missions and OUs with a means of accessing responsive and flexible analytical services and personnel that harvest the best available data, meaningfully incorporate local perspectives, and employ best practices in analytical approaches to improve conflict analysis and peacebuilding outcomes. The PEARL mechanism will support the CVP Field Partnerships Division (FPD) to provide effective and targeted technical assistance to supported OUs. Improved Mission and OU access to peacebuilding-focused evaluations, analysis, and learning is intended to complement other CVP evidence-related initiatives, such as the CVP Learning Agenda and Cadre Development and Training (CDAT). PEARL will also support related sub-sectoral analyses and evaluations in areas including, but not limited to, atrocity prevention, countering violent extremism, organized violent crime, and inclusive peacebuilding.