Subawardee Guidance for Start-Up and Workplanning

Agency for International Development under Agreement No. AID-OAA-A-12-00047, beginning October 1, 2012. APC is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., in collaboration with FHI 360. The project focuses on advancing and supporting community programs that seek to improve the overall health of communities and achieve other health-related impacts, especially in relationship to family planning. APC provides global leadership for community-based programming, executes and manages small- and medium-sized sub-awards, supports procurement reform by preparing awards for execution by USAID, and builds technical capacity of organizations to implement effective programs. The project's scope encompasses various aspects, including monitoring and evaluation, financial management, and human resources. The start-up phase of a project is a critical phase that begins when the award is executed and ends when the workplan is approved and funding is received. During this phase, subawardees must complete several USAID compliance requirements, including environmental verification, family planning compliance, gender compliance, and branding and marking plans. These requirements are outlined in corresponding compliance guidance documents available on the APC website. A start-up checklist is provided to help projects stay on track during the start-up phase. The checklist includes key events and tasks, such as countersigning the award, completing environmental verification and family planning compliance forms, and developing a branding and marking plan. The timeline for completing these tasks is also outlined in the checklist. Workplanning is a critical component of project implementation, and APC provides guidance on workplan development. The workplan must include specific requirements, such as an executive summary, implementation plan, monitoring and evaluation plan, budget and budget narrative, management and staffing plan, and organogram. Annex 1 provides a template for completing the work plan. The workplan is a document that lays out a subawardee's planned activities, timelines, staff resources required, and project targets. It serves as a roadmap for project implementation and is essential for ensuring that the project is implemented effectively and efficiently. The workplan must be approved by APC before funding can be released. APC suggests using nine standard budget categories, including salaries, fringe benefits, travel and transportation, equipment, supplies, contractual services, project costs, other direct costs, and indirect costs. The workplan must also include a monitoring and evaluation plan, which outlines the indicators to be tracked and the methods for collecting and analyzing data. In addition to the workplan, subawardees must also complete a budget and budget narrative, which outlines the project's financial resources and how they will be used. The management and staffing plan outlines the project's organizational structure and the roles and responsibilities of key personnel. Overall, the start-up phase and workplanning are critical components of project implementation, and APC provides guidance and resources to help subawardees complete these tasks effectively. By following the guidance and using the provided templates, subawardees can ensure that their projects are implemented smoothly and efficiently.