USAID Monitoring, Evaluating and Learning for Sustainability Quarterly Progress Report

72052719D00001. The activity aims to provide technical and advisory services to USAID/Peru, its bilateral and South America regional portfolios, and USAID/Brazil and USAID/Paraguay in planning, designing, conducting, disseminating, and learning from monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the missions' portfolios to improve the achievement and sustainability of USAID's development outcomes. The MELS activity uses a multi-pronged approach to deliver services, including producing evaluations, assessments, and studies; building capacity for meaningful program M&E; and improving collaboration, learning, and knowledge management for sustainability. The activity is demand-driven, with tasks and timing defined by the ongoing needs of the Missions and local stakeholders. In the third quarter of Year 1, the MELS team reflected on the first six months of implementation, identifying aspects that were going well and areas for improvement. This led to operational adjustments, including a trip by the MELS Chief of Party to EnCompass HQ and a follow-up visit to Lima. The positive outcomes of these investments are starting to be seen in the present reporting period. The global crisis produced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus began affecting daily life in Peru in March 2020, with social distancing and quarantine measures remaining in effect. This has affected MELS and the country dynamic, with government attention shifting to the pandemic and offices transitioning to virtual work. The MELS team anticipates that the sanitary crisis will affect and challenge the activities of the next quarter. Component 1 of the MELS activity, Evaluations, Assessments, and Other Studies, made progress in the third quarter. The environmental compliance review was completed in January, with preliminary findings shared with the USAID/Peru MEL team and the activities' CORs on February 13. An initial draft report was submitted to USAID and implementing partners on March 11, 2020. Three virtual workshops for presenting findings and co-creating recommendations are planned for April, and the preparation of the final report, including conclusions and recommendations, is planned for the next quarter. The MELS team also facilitated a presentation of the assessment with the Mission once USAID approves the final report and prepared targeted communication products for the dissemination of study findings. The team anticipates that the sanitary crisis will affect and challenge the activities of the next quarter, as MELS will need to adjust to entirely virtual meetings with USAID and partners. The MELS activity has made significant progress in building capacity for meaningful program M&E, with capacity assessments and plans, M&E workshops, online training, and coaching provided to USAID/Peru MEL team and implementing partners. The activity has also improved collaboration, learning, and knowledge management for sustainability, with a focus on sustainability, providing services to USAID and partners to support learning, adaptive management, and knowledge transfer. The MELS team has established contact with client audiences to start the implementation of programmed activities, despite the limited availability of USAID/Peru technical staff due to the preparation of the Mission's Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). The team has also leveraged the adaptive management capacity of the MELS team and EnCompass' strengths in facilitating MEL work virtually to adjust to the challenges posed by the global crisis.