SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - - EVALUATION OF PHASE I

Special evaluation covers the period 1/1/77-12/5/80 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with USAID and GOT officials. GOT and A.I.D. actions caused delays during both the first 2 years and the ensuing 2-year extension of Phase I. The systems analysis/operations research subproject (SP) began with placement of four advisors in the Office of the Prime Minister, but 2 years later the GOT decided it lacked the means to continue and cancelled the SP. By the time AID/W contracted services for the computer technology SP, the nature of the assistance needed by the Centre National de l'Information had changed. A revised strategy in line with these new needs has been developed and will require no further technical assistance. The U.S. Geological Survey successfully implemented the remote sensing SP -- a laboratory was installed, production capacity was upgraded, and participants were trained. Under the petroleum technology SP, 11 Entreprise Tunisienne d'Activites Petrolieres (ETAP) engineers received short-term, U.S. training and 2 others are working toward M.S. degrees. ETAP cited scheduling of training as a problem and prefers to work directly with U.S. universities. The pollution research SP was seriously hampered because U.S.-trained Tunisians were not assigned to the GOT's Gabes and Central Laboratories. The GOT in turn questioned the competence of U.S. advisors. Before continuing with Phase II, it is recommended that: (1) GOT responsibility for coordinating subprojects with science and technology development goals be designated to avoid future duplication of effort; (2) A.I.D. consider limiting assistance to the petroleum technology SP since it has largely achieved its objectives; (3) A.I.D. conclude the computer technology and remote sensing SP's; (4) A.I.D. emphasize its role as mediator and financial controller and eliminate its operational role as much as possible; (5) the GOT work more directly with consultants and contractors in implementing SP's; and (6) U.S. training be considered favorably in future SP's.