Quarterly Report Year 1, Quarter 1

The platform will serve as an extension of the USAID Program Office, supporting project staff in managing and enhancing development objectives (DO) performance. The two DOs supported by the task order are DO 1, Crime Strengthened, and DO 2, Increased Resilience of People to the Impact of Climate Change. The MEL Platform Team conducted a formative assessment of USAID and implementing partner (IP) MEL systems and procedures, training needs, evaluation gaps, and local resources. The assessment aimed to understand priorities for MEL activities and identify areas for improvement. The team also developed a draft Year 1 Work Plan, which was submitted to USAID on August 19, 2016. The work plan outlined the team's objectives, activities, and timelines for the first year. The startup and work planning process involved mobilizing staff, holding a startup workshop, establishing the office, registering, and setting up operational procedures. The team successfully completed all planned activities, including recruiting and hiring international staff, such as the Chief of Party and the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. The team also concluded a services agreement with the Senior M&E Specialist, Dr. Marcelo Castrillo, on July 6, 2016. The MEL Platform Team is responsible for supporting USAID in its MEL responsibilities under the USAID Automated Directive System (ADS) Chapter 201. The team will assist in developing a database of experts in monitoring and evaluation, conducting formative research, and providing training and capacity building to USAID staff. The team will also support the development of a central database to manage indicators, monitor trends, and make programmatic decisions based on evidence. The Dominican Republic has a number of experts in monitoring and evaluation, research methods, and the relevant context. However, there is no organized source of information on the talent base. The MEL Platform Team aims to leverage these local resources to improve MEL systems and procedures across the portfolios. The MEL Platform Team will focus on activities that will have a longer-term impact, such as supporting the development of a central database to manage indicators and monitor trends. The team will also prioritize understanding current IP MEL needs to generate lessons learned and recommendations for the development of MEL systems and procedures across the portfolios. The MEL Platform Team is committed to supporting USAID in its MEL responsibilities and improving the effectiveness of its projects and activities in the Dominican Republic. The team will continue to work closely with USAID and IP staff to develop and implement MEL systems and procedures that meet the needs of the Mission and the country. The MEL Platform Team will conduct a midterm evaluation to assess the progress of the activity and identify areas for improvement. The evaluation will focus on the team's performance, the effectiveness of the MEL systems and procedures, and the impact of the activity on the development objectives. The MEL Platform Team will also conduct a final evaluation to assess the overall impact of the activity and identify lessons learned. The evaluation will focus on the team's performance, the effectiveness of the MEL systems and procedures, and the impact of the activity on the development objectives.