SEATS II [family planning service expansion and technical support project] plan for sustainability and cost recovery : guidelines for strengthening institutions and recovering costs

Two basic premises shape SEATS" approach to achieving sustainability in subprojects. The first requires integrating sustainability into subprojects from the first stage of design rather than including it after subproject activities are underway. Sustainability is a filter for subproject conception, ensuring that chosen objectives, indicators, and activities relate substantially to the achievement of enduring programs. Secondly, SEATS recognizes that there is no universal "blueprint" for achieving sustainability in subprojects. Consequently, the plan includes tools to help program managers identify sustainability components that should be addressed in subprojects in order to enhance continuation and maintenance of service delivery over time. Every SEATS subproject addresses contextual, financial, and institutional components of sustainability. The plan for sustainability includes a description of the SEATS approach and tools useful for identifying and addressing relevant components of sustainability within each subproject and for monitoring their implementation. The plan includes three resource documents, attached as appendices. Collectively entitled the SEATS Sustainability Technical Reference Guide, these appendices are the SEATS Subproject Guidelines for Development of Sustainability Plans, the SEATS Illustrative Monitoring and Evaluation Guide, and a summary of the SEATS Staff Workshop on Sustainability held in November 1995. Together, these documents provide comprehensive guidance for the development of subproject sustainability plans. (Author abstract, modified)