1. UNICEF CSO Procedure Overview of key changes, March 2015

2. Overview
Supersedes 2009 PCAs and SSFAs Guidelines (CF/EXD/ ) effective April 1, 2015
For use by Country & Regional Offices
All agreements entered into prior to effective date remain valid. Any new agreement/ amendments – except no cost extensions - follow new Procedure
Drivers for change:
Streamline processes and reduce administrative burden
Fast-track humanitarian response when working with CSOs
Embed results-based management principles & mainstream with HACT requirements
Meet donor requirements
Address findings of audits and interagency evaluations in relation to partners’ selection, assessment and management

3. MoU – where there is no transfer of resources
New legal agreements
PCA “umbrella” legal agreement to cover duration of the country programme
Details of the partnership defined in accompanying programme document(s) – results, work plan, budget
SSFA limit raised to $50K
Can be used in humanitarian response also for transfer of 3 months supplies
Not included
MoU – where there is no transfer of resources

4. Clarifies Partnership vs Procurement
UNICEF defines scope of work & results to be achieved. CSO identified through competitive bidding process
Institutional contract or
Long-Term Arrangement for Services (LTAS)
UNICEF and the CSO pool together resources to achieve commonly defined results, sharing costs and benefits
Programme Cooperation Agreement (PCA) or
Small-Scale Funding Agreement (SSFA)
No set amount for contribution but a key requirement for partnership
If major components of programmes to be sub- contracted, other options should be considered
These modalities can be used concurrently with the same CSO

5. Requires documentation of CSO selection
Open selection
Direct selection
UNICEF office issues a call for expression of interest
Transparent process
Supports identification of new partners/ approaches
May require more time
UNICEF office partners with a CSO for a specific proposal
Responsive to specific considerations, such as known expertise, timing/ criticality of intervention, innovation…
Limits transparency/ cost effectiveness analysis

6. Clarifies due diligence process
Ability to deliver programme results part of CSO selection process
Done by HQ for ICSO
By COs for other CSO based on Partner Declaration & check of UN sanctions list
Type of agreement
Core values
HACT/ Micro assessment
Programme assessment
Simplified financial asses.
PCA with regular, contingency or humanitarian)
Mandatory before partnership
If CSO expected to receive $100K or more/ year before or after PCA onset
CO discretion
CO discretion when partnership <$100/year (before or after PCA onset)
SSFA
Not required

7. Simplified programme document
Reduced narrative
Results-based workplan & budget in the same table
Budget defined at activity – not input level
Includes planned assurance activities & partnership review dates

8. Simplified programme document/ humanitarian response
Key features
Programme Document
Regular programme or emergency response
Simplified Humanitarian Doc
First 3 months of humanitarian response or L2/L3 emergencies
1. Programme info & CSO overview
Basic
Very basic
2. Programme description
Brief but complete programme rationale & expected results
Simplified humanitarian data & targets for the response
3. Workplan & budget
Results, performance indicators activities, timeframe & budget
Simplified activity based budget with 1 line for ops&mngt costs
4. Partnership review plan
Complete plan of reviews with UNICEF
Status of assessments & risk management measures (if any)
5. Other
Additional reporting & technical guidance
N/A
Signatures & date
Yes

9. Revised budgeting & detailed guidance
Programme costs include a standard output & activities for Effective & Efficient Progr. Management
Replace DPSC and the associated 25% cap
HQ Support Costs same rate (7% of cash component)
payable to INGOs upon reporting actual expenditures – not as advance
Payment to national CSOs at Rep. discretion
Not applicable to SSFAs
Detailed guidance on budgeting, eligible expenses & other fin./ admin. issues (currency, bank account, VAT..)

10. New benchmarks for CSO partnerships
Benchmark of 45 days to operationalize partnership in regular programme
20 days for initial disbursement of donor funs in humanitarian action
Benchmark of 10 working days for disbursing funds following submission of properly filled FACE form
Accompanied by itemized cost estimate – ICE

11. Guidance on partnership management
Joint Partnership Review meeting if partnership >$100K
PCA/Programme document revisions guidance

12. Streamlined reporting
Simple template for quarterly reporting on results aligned to reporting with FACE – no additional report required
Additional reporting requirements to be agreed upfront in progr.doc (e.g. monthly reporting in humanitarian situations)

13. Options for onset of humanitarian response
Type of partnership
Programme instruments for rapid response
Approval
Ongoing partnership
Contingency PCA/ prog.doc
Rep.
Simplified humanitarian progr.doc
Revision of existing progr.doc
New partnership
PCA + Simplified humanitarian progr.doc
SSFA
New role of SSFA to transfer up to 3 months of supplies for immediate distribution

14. In summary – New Procedure Overview
Step 1
Identifying CSO
Step 2
Designing & Formalising Relationships
Step 3
Implementation, Monitoring & Reporting
Step 4
Concluding, Suspension or Termination
IDENTIFYING CSO
CONCLUDING
Procurement vs Partnership: decision tree & list of services
CSO selection
Core values ICSOs – done by HQ based on Partner Declaration
Activity closure & performance review
Termination of programme document/ partnership
IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, REPORTING
Assurance activities integrated in the Prg.Doc as per HACT
Financial & programmatic quarterly reporting with FACE
Annual Partnership Review meeting
Guidance for revisions & PCA amendment form
DESIGNING & FORMALISING RELATIONSHIP
PCA “umbrella” legal agreement covering CP or grant duration
SSFA for transfers <$50,000 & 3 months supplies in emergency
New Programme doc. Template & Simplified emergency doc
Guidance on Budgetary issues

15. Roll-out activities (staff & CSO)
Key 2015 activities Q2 Q3 Q4
Training material/tools
2 pager Overview of key changes for partners & staff
2 pager Overview of CSO Procedure
Partner version of the CSO Procedure
Training materials (presentation, website, intranet)
Working with CSO e-course for staff & partners
Capacity building events
Dedicated CSO roll-out/TOT trainings
Series of webinars Mar-Apr. & on request
Orientation on new Procedure mainstreamed in key regional events Feb. onwards  entry point for training of CSO partners at regional level

16. Thank you for your inputs
Global Results Network members
HQ divisions, especially EMOPS
CSO community
Individual country offices
WASH specialist
Thank you for your inputs