Quarterly Performance Report: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Project, April – June 2015

The project's primary goal is to assist the mission in planning, designing, conducting, disseminating, and learning from more rigorous monitoring and evaluation of development activities. The MEL project has three components: Component 1 focuses on supporting greater rigor and coherence in USAID/Nepal's M&E efforts, Component 2 involves designing and conducting analyses, evaluations, surveys, studies, and assessments, and Component 3 aims to support improved knowledge management within the mission. During the quarter, the MEL project faced significant challenges due to a major earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Despite these challenges, the project was able to operationalize and initiate tasks and subtasks under all three components. The project hired all senior staff, opened its project office, and established administrative and financial procedures. The MEL project's performance management specialist supervised a comprehensive review of the mission's performance management plan. MEL project staff also initiated reviews of the M&E plans of key implementing partners and began planning for site visits to assess their M&E processes and capacity. The project's evaluation specialist provided key learning by doing capacity building support to responsible Agreement and Contracting Officer's Representatives. The MEL project's knowledge management advisor commenced a preliminary assessment of the mission's knowledge management tools and practices. The project also completed and delivered its first annual work plan and its corresponding M&E plan, meeting all contract deliverables as scheduled. The MEL project's quarterly performance report highlights the challenges faced by the project due to the earthquake, but also demonstrates the project's ability to adapt and respond to the mission's needs. The report provides an overview of the project's progress toward achieving its purpose, completing outputs and deliverables, and addressing the challenges posed by the earthquake. The MEL project's performance is measured against its contract deliverables, which include providing technical assistance for the performance management plan and project- and activity-level M&E plans, strengthening the capacity of USAID/Nepal staff to conduct M&E tasks and use data effectively, and supporting the performance monitoring capacity of USAID/Nepal implementing partners. The MEL project's quarterly performance report provides a comprehensive overview of the project's progress and challenges, highlighting the project's ability to adapt and respond to the mission's needs in the face of significant adversity. The report demonstrates the project's commitment to supporting the achievement of USAID/Nepal's Country Development Cooperation Strategy Development Objectives.