CONSULTANT REPORT

Special evaluation was submitted 5/5/77 by the American Public Health Association. No methodology is specified. Several recommendations are provided relating to the project in general, its management, commodity and logistics management, technical services, and structure: (1) FPIA should decentralize its authority while maintaining strong central leadership and reorganize regional offices to include deputy directors, senior program officers, and more staff. Also, managerial positions should be reorganized, e.g., placing a communications specialist in charge of internal publications. FPIA"s management system must set realistic subproject objectives and develop an incentive system for its staff. A board, consisting of FPIA"s Chief operating officer and Executive Vice President, field directors, and department heads, should conduct monthly reviews of FPIA"s activities. (2) To speed up the provision of consultant services to subgrantees, FPIA and A.I.D. should develop a system permitting the contracting of such services to subgrantees (up to certain time and/or money limits), without prior A.I.D. approval. (3) FPIA should conduct on-site spot checks and annual inventories of commodities and review inventory turnover and space usage at its Windsor, Md. warehouse. Commodity transports should backhaul freight instead of deadheading. (4) FPIA"s feedback to regional offices and subgrantees should be more analytical and interpretative. FPIA should develop specialized evaluative approaches for overall program assessment and subproject use. Subprojects should meet minimum reporting and evaluation requirements. (5) FPIA"s operational structure can handle additional workload if its staff is augmented. Commodity increases should emphasize project activity to ensure FPIA"s independent posture with its clients. FPIA must assist regional directors in meeting their local staffing needs and developing career ladders for local hire regional staff.