Close-out Report: South African Supplier Diversity Council (SASDC) Capacity Building Program

AID-674-A-12-00012, was a four-year initiative that formally came to an end on April 3, 2016. The program aimed to promote business and commerce through transformation, acting as the intersection for corporate members and a growing pool of Black-owned businesses to engage in sustainable business linkages. The program was supported by the US Government's Economic Growth Functional Objective for the USAID bilateral assistance program in South Africa. The objective was to generate sustained and broad-based economic growth, which is essential for reducing inequalities and achieving long-term prosperity and socio-political stability in South Africa. The SASDC Capacity Building Program was designed to provide support to the Council with the delivery of its overall strategic objective, with the outcome supporting the Council's future growth and the achievement of a stable revenue base to sustain its operations into the future. The program was incrementally funded from an initial obligation of $500,000 to the approved total estimated amount of $1,967,000 through four subsequent obligation modifications. The program's budget was allocated as follows: personnel costs accounted for $1,122,674, fringe benefits for $79,677, equipment for $8,571, and other direct costs for $289,079. The total program amount was concluded at $1,967,000, with the total estimated USAID amount being $1,500,000 and the remaining $467,000 being the cost share contribution committed by the SASDC. The program's implementation focused on several key areas, including leadership and strategy, infrastructure and operations, human resources, financial status, and monitoring and evaluation. The program's performance was measured through a Performance Management Plan (PMP), which outlined the key performance indicators and deliverables. The program's outcomes included the growth and retention of corporate membership, certification of suppliers, facilitation of business linkages, and the achievement of major milestones. The program also provided insights into the way forward with respect to business continuity of the SASDC. The lessons learned from the program included the importance of having the right human resource base, putting in place and maintaining the right infrastructure to operate, implementing monitoring and evaluation systems to ensure impact is measured, and effective, consistent, and regular communication. The program also highlighted the need for better positioning, utilization, and management of technology solutions, maintaining organizational focus, managing primary stakeholders, and securing leadership buy-in. The program's close-out report provides a comprehensive overview of the program's achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations for future growth and sustainability. The report serves as a valuable resource for the SASDC and its stakeholders, providing insights into the program's impact and the way forward for the organization.