STATISTICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (LOAN 512-L-076)

EVAL INCLUDED TESTS OF FINANCIAL RECORDS & LOAN-RELATED DOCUMENTS & DISCUSSIONS WITH USAID, US BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, AND FOUNDATION PERSONNEL. USAID PROVIDED A $5 MIL LOAN FOR SEVEN SUBPROJS. THE SUBPROJS HAD VARYING DEGREES OF SUCCESS: A PLNND MGMT & TECH INFORMATION CENTER WAS NEVER ESTABLISHED; WHILE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE DATA PROCESSING WERE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. IN 4/72, THE FOUNDATION LEASED AN ADVANCED IBM 370-155 COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE COMPUTER"S CAPACITY WAS DOUBLED IN 12/73. IN ADDITION, THE ADOPTION OF HIGHER SALARIES ATTRACTED A CORE OF CAPABLE BRAZILIAN DATA PROCESSING TECHNICIANS. AN ON-GOING HOUSEHOLD SAMPLE SURVEY SUBPROJ HAS INCREASED IN SIZE FROM 32, 500 HOUSEHOLDS IN 1966 TO 145, 000 IN RECENT SURVEYS. THE AGRI STATISTICAL SYSTEM SUBPROJ SHOWED SOME PROGRESS -- PARTIALLY DUE TO THE PROVISION OF PL480 FUNDS. THE WORK STANDARDS & QUALITY CONTROL SUBPROJ RESULTED IN QUALITY CONTROLS IN ESSENTIALLY ALL PHASES OF DATA COLLECTION & DATA PROCESSING. OPERATIONAL MANUALS WERE PREPARED; AND PERSONNEL WERE TRND IN OPERATIONS & POST-ENUMERATION SURVEYS. EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A QUALITY & EVAL SYSTEM FOR ALTERNATIVE SAMPLE DESIGNS HAD LIMITED SUCCESS. THE 1970 CENSUS FOR POP, HOUSING, INDUSTRY, AND AGRI MADE EXCELLENT PROGRESS, DESPITE DELAYS IN ACQURING A COMPUTER. THE 1970 CENSUS FOR POPULATION CENSUS WAS COMPLETED IN 1973; AND THE HOUSING CENSUS WAS COMPLETED IN 1974. THE INDUSTRY & AGRI CENSUSES WILL BE COMPLETED IN 1975. A SHORTAGE OF PERSONNEL WITH GRAD LEVEL TRNG ACCOUNTED FOR THE VARYING DEGRESS OF SUCCESS AMONG THE SUBPROJS. A PLNND TWO-YR PROJ EXTENSION WILL INCLUDE $500, 000-800, 000 FOR US TRNG. (GRAD TRNG FOR NINE PERSONS IS PLNND.) DURING THIS PROJ PERIOD, 25 OF 60 PLNND PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED TRNG, INCLUDING TECH & ACADEMIC TRNG, WORKSHOPS & OBSERVATION TRIPS. AUDITORS RECOMMEND THAT THE REVISED PROJ IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BE UPDATED YRLY;AND THAT JOINT PROG EVALS & INDEPENDENT AUDITS BE CONDUCTED. USAID"S LOANS SHOULD BE REVIEWED TO DETERMINE IF BORROWERS ARE COMPLYING WITH AUDIT PROVISIONS.