Quarterly Program Performance Report – Apr thru Jun 2016: Assessment & Strengthening Program

The program's goal, as envisioned by the Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is to improve institutional structures and management systems. This is expected to pave the way for enhanced USG funding and its utilization in a transparent, accountable, and effective manner. During the reporting period, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sanctioned four permanent positions for the Provincial Internal Audit Cell (PIAC) in its Annual Budget 2016-17. PIAC has been formally institutionalized within the finance department with ASP's support, and it has been vested with the role of steering the Internal Audit function in the province. In addition to these positions, three positions have been sanctioned for KP's Food department covering Internal Audit function. Eighteen positions reflected in the previous year's 2015-16 budget for six departments were also promptly filled during the current year. Capacity Building support to provincial Public Procurement Regulatory Authorities of Balochistan and KP continued during the current quarter. The focus remained on enhancing on-the-job skills of Procuring Agencies (provincial departments) officials, along with support at the Authority level in deployment of updated Management Information System (MIS). The MIS at KP-PPRA has been finalized, covering HR and Financial Management functions, built specific to government process flows, through in-house customization and based upon a thorough process of discussions/feedback from the relevant users/officials. In partnership with KP-PPRA, five district-level training events were successfully held in the reporting period, where 162 officials from various districts participated. Under the training program with BPPRA, one training event was conducted at Noshki district, which was attended by 34 officials from various departments. This outreach has helped build a positive image of USAID assistance through ASP to strengthen procurement governance in the public sector. ASP's Internal Audit support to the provincial departments of KP and district government Peshawar during the reporting period remained substantially effective. It resulted in the completion of key milestones, including the formal approval of the Governance Structure for Peshawar District, the Internal Audit Toolkit for district Government, and pilot audits initiated in two departments, i.e., Industries and Irrigation.