Kabul City Initiative (KCI) Monthly Report: May 2011

KCI assists the city staff in improving the level and quality of services provided, and increases the city's ability to generate its own revenues. The initiative is implemented under the Sustainable Urban Management Indefinite Quantity Contract II (SUM II IQC) and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). KCI has made significant progress in various areas. The KM-KCI master training plan has been completed, and training programs have been initiated for municipal officials. The Sanitation Computer Training Center (CTC) has been refurbished, and the Urban Planning CTC is currently undergoing refurbishment. English and computer classes for project management have been completed, and job description drafts have been finalized and submitted for review. Capacity building of Kabul City officials is a key focus area for KCI. Training needs assessments have been completed, and 80% of the data has been entered into the KCI database. Negotiations with the Afghanistan Civil Service Institute (ACSI) to establish a partnership for training Kabul Municipality staff have been ongoing, but a vehicle to fund ACSI has not been arranged. As a result, KCI is currently selecting private firms to complete these trainings as scheduled. Procedures for training processes have been reviewed, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for simplifying land distribution and land acquisition procedures has been drafted and revised. The Procedures Working Group has requested KCI to engage a Short-Term Technical Assistance (STTA) to provide assistance with developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). KCI has agreed and is currently finalizing a scope of work with the Working Group. Project management training for municipal officials has been initiated, with 60 officials selected to attend PMI training in Turkey. Training will take place in three rounds, with the first round scheduled for July 2011. In preparation, KCI engaged a local training firm, Protech, to conduct a three-week course for the first 20 candidates in technical English. The participants completed the course on May 23, 2011, and 100% passed the final exam with a score of 70 percent or higher. Compensation and job descriptions have been standardized, with 612 job descriptions received, reviewed, revised, computerized, and submitted to the municipality for approval. The following job descriptions have been completed: Director Generals, Urban Planning Department Staff, Sanitation Department Staff, District staff, Greenery Department Staff, Cultural Department Staff, Market Control Department Staff, Internal Audit Department Staff, Revenue Department Staff, Land Acquisition Department Staff, Publications Department Staff, Macrorayon Operations and Maintenance Department Staff, Properties Department Staff, Street Maintenance Department Staff, Construction Control Department Staff, Administration and Department Staff, and Chief of Staff Department Staff. Preparation for International Computer Driver's License (ICDL) training is nearing completion and is set to begin by the end of June. Following a competitive bid process, Protech was selected to conduct the training, and contracting is underway. Training centers have been established in the Sanitation Computer Training Center (CTC) and the Urban Planning CTC.