Performance evaluation of workforce augmentation program KONEKTE : evaluation report

KONEKTE was designed to fill workforce vacancies and provide Technical Advisors (TAs) to select Government of Haiti (GOH) counterparts to support the United States Government’s postearthquake strategy. The evaluation report assesses whether KONEKTE achieved intended results, identifies lessons learned, and provides guidance for future USAID/Haiti programs. KONEKTE placed 45 TAs with 11 GOH counterparts. However, recruitment was slower than planned. Changes in USAID, Implementing Partner and GOH counterpart leadership, challenges aligning multiple key stakeholders’ vision and needs and external social, political and economic factors affected efficiency. Although USAID largely determined priority intervention areas, KONEKTE’s GOH counterparts chose and managed their own TAs, which made the Activity relevant to counterpart concerns and needs. GOH officials indicated that KONEKTE strengthened their voice in day-to-day decision-making within USAID program. KONEKTE technical expertise and tools contributed to on-going improvements in GOH recruitment and human resource (HR) management systems. However, KONEKTE did not make significant progress building GOH capacity to assess HR needs systematically. In addition, KONEKTE was not very effective at transferring knowhow to GOH counterparts due to their limited absorptive capacity, TAs’ focus on doing versus transferring skills, and weak oversight to promote TA deliverables’ use. Some KONEKTE GOH counterparts are sustaining KONEKTE TAs work, while many others are not. Likely sustainable KONEKTE interventions include introducing new laws supporting on-going reforms and creating tools and guidelines to support offices and institutions’ core activities.