Local Solutions Support for Laos FY19 Q3 Report

The project's primary objective is to enhance the capacity of local organizations to deliver effective development programs, with a focus on gender and social inclusion (GESI). During the third quarter of fiscal year 2019, RTI International, the project's implementing partner, continued to focus on recruiting key personnel and establishing the foundation for initial project activities. The recruitment efforts were concentrated on sourcing a Lao national for the Chief of Party (COP) position, who would lead the project and ensure its alignment with the government's strategies and priorities. After a thorough search, RTI identified a qualified candidate, [REDACTED], who has over 21 years of experience working in Lao PDR for multi-lateral and bilateral international organizations. The candidate has a strong background in capacity development, organizational development, GESI, and M&E, and has established relationships with key government ministries, including the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to identifying the COP candidate, RTI onboarded [REDACTED] as the Capacity Development Lead, who played a crucial role in preparing research on the capacity development challenges in Lao PDR and mapping capacity building providers. The team compared question sets for each sample target group with anticipated responses, ensuring that the information collected would produce a useful map and assessment of the supply and demand of capacity building services. The question lists were submitted for translation into Lao, and a detailed sampling database was built to cover the full range of institutions based on role within the ecosystem, overall capacity, and technical area of focus. The sampling database includes 109 entries, of which 75 organizations can provide some form of capacity building, while another 34 can be considered as receivers. The list also includes eight freelance consultants that conduct capacity building training for local organizations. RTI identified four consultants to assist with the research mapping exercise, who have previous experience conducting survey and research work and familiarity with NPAs, local organizations, and the development sector. The project's financial performance is also being closely monitored, with a focus on ensuring that the project is on track to meet its objectives and deliverables. The project's budget is being managed in accordance with USAID's requirements, and the team is working closely with the COP and Capacity Development Lead to ensure that the project's activities are aligned with the project's objectives and deliverables. Overall, the Local Solutions Support Laos project is making significant progress in recruiting key personnel and establishing the foundation for initial project activities. The project's focus on GESI and capacity development is expected to have a positive impact on the capacity of local organizations in Laos, and the project's financial performance is being closely monitored to ensure that the project is on track to meet its objectives and deliverables.