Evaluation of the agreement (RSSA) between AID"s Office of Population and the Centers for Disease Control (covering 1987 through 1989)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to provide assistance in logistics management and associated activities to improve family planning programs worldwide. The evaluation covers the period 1987-1989. CDC has a long track record of excellent work, and Mission staff are satisfied with CDC"s in-country contributions. Notable technical innovations have occurred in both logistics and survey work -- the most significant being the computerized contraceptive commodity management information system, the contraceptive prevalence survey, and the young adult reproductive health survey. CDC"s ability to link logistics and survey activities makes it a unique resource for A.I.D. CDC has placed less emphasis on transferring survey and logistics skills to the host countries. While some institutionalization has occurred in survey work, this has been primarily the by- product of strong TA, rather than a result of thoughtful planning. With respect to logistics, the level of institutionalization is even lower, especially considering the long duration of CDC assistance in this area. In part due to personnel constraints, trips to any given country remain typically short and infrequent, particularly those for forecasting contraceptive requirements. This pattern has changed somewhat over the past year, but will need to change more if skills are to be transferred and institution building is to become a primary objective. In general, CDC needs to move from a reactive approach -- a major cause of the current malaise of the logistics staff -- to one characterized by strategic program and project planning. long-term PASA which is expected to replace the RSSA, which expires in March, 1990. A major concern of the PASA should be to ensure a dependable logistics system, preferably one based on institutionalized in-country capabilities.