Environmental and natural resources policy and training (EPAT) project

Evaluation covered the period 1991-8/94. The project is beset with fundamental problems and a major restructuring is required. Overall, project performance was a failure, with shortcomings on the part of all participating institutions and units; procurement was flawed, the implementing institutions did not perform adequately in staffing the project, the USAID management team was ineffective, and coordination and collaboration were lacking among the participating organizations, MUCIA (a Midwestern university consortium) and WIEA (Winrock International Environmental Alliance). Primary recommendations of the evaluation included: conversion of the MUCIA Cooperative Agreement to a subcontract with WIEA; replacement of the USAID management team; termination of the WIEA education component; development of economic analysis tools and focusing of marketing, information dissemination, and buy-ins on the use of these tools; development of a new strategic plan taking other projects into account; addition of two senior economists to the WIEA core staff; reduction of the WIEA consortium membership; and reconstitution of the WIEA Technical Advisory Group. The Mission rejected the primary recommendations, found others inadequately justified or unworkable, and found the evaluation of little use. However, due to budgetary constraints, the management team was reduced from four to two professionals, there was an accelerated phase-out of the MUCIA applied research component, and core funding for the Winrock core contract under EPAT was reduced.