USAID/South Sudan Monitoring and Evaluation Support Project Annual Progress Report – Fiscal Year 2021

The project's primary objective is to provide management and administrative support to the Mission in three components: Performance Monitoring and Reporting; Support for Evaluations, Assessments, and Special Studies; and Strategic Communications. Since its inception in October 2019, MESP has been providing support to the Mission, but in the second quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, the scope of the task order was revised to shift resources toward implementation of the baseline household survey, GIS mapping support, and remote third-party monitoring of USAID/South Sudan activities. This revision necessitated a major reduction in personnel, eliminating 13 staff positions within thirty days. The Mission approved the modification of the Task Order in June 2021, extending MESP TO4 Period of Performance through December 31, 2021, to provide the resources necessary to conduct the baseline survey in the remaining seven target counties, support the recruitment and deployment of 26 field-based Community Monitors (CMs) and five Juba-based specialists to monitor Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) activities, initiate backbone coordination services in the Mission's target counties, and restore the array of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) services. MESP is currently implementing Phase Two of the baseline survey in the seven counties using the same methodology, with some adaptations and refinements based on lessons learned. The project has recruited, trained, and deployed 21 county supervisors to pilot test the survey instrument and identify and recruit enumerators. By the end of the reporting period, piloting of the data collection instrument was completed in all the counties except Wau. MESP has also deployed a county Team Lead in each of the seven counties to assist the county supervisors with field recruitment of enumerators and provide technical backstopping during enumerator training and the survey rollout. The project has made significant progress in implementing the revised scope of work, including the recruitment and deployment of Community Monitors and specialists, initiation of backbone coordination services, and restoration of MEL services. However, challenges remain, including the need to complete the baseline survey in the remaining counties and to ensure the quality of data collection and analysis. MESP has also been working to improve its knowledge management and organizational learning (KMOL) capacity, including the development of a knowledge management plan and the establishment of a KMOL working group. The project has also been collaborating with other stakeholders, including Implementing Partners (IPs) and the Mission, to promote the geographic-focused convergence of services and to support the development of a common monitoring and evaluation framework. Overall, MESP has made significant progress in implementing the revised scope of work and has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities. However, challenges remain, and the project will need to continue to work to ensure the quality of its services and to meet the needs of the Mission and its stakeholders.