Announcement
Gender Marker in Project Document Template
February 13th, 2017
The gender marker is included on the cover page of the project document template and the multi-year workplan to improve programmatic accountability and to track the marker through the monitoring and evaluation process. Staff are reminded to provide indicative Output(s) with gender marker, which measures how much a project invests in gender equality and women's empowerment.
Implementing a Programme Policy
February 13th, 2017
Updated CPD Template has been added. This template guides how theories of change should be incorporated throughout the country programme document (CPD) to explain our programming choices based on evidence, learning and UNDP's comparative advantages. Clearer expectations on how support to SDG achievement in the country should be reflected within the theory of change and as a coherent programming strategy is also included. Finally, a standard required statement has been added on Direct Project Costing in the Programme and Risk Management section.
Implementing a Project Policy
February 13, 2017
The new project document template (2017) has been uploaded, reflecting new clauses on fraud prevention and accountability to strengthen risk management section.
New Project Document Template
March 1st, 2016
While the new project document template can be used immediately, it will be required for all new projects as of 1 March 2016. Country offices should take note of the strengthened resource planning requirements of the project document. All project inputs, including those provided by UNDP staff, are to be fully budgeted and included in the multi-year work plan.
The CPAP will no longer be required for countries with a signed UNDAF
March 1st, 2016
Please make sure the standard legal clauses are attached to the UNDAF. If your country does not have an UNDAF, you must still sign a CPAP with the Government, establishing national ownership over the programme.
New Programming Instruments
March 1st, 2016
To reflect new elements introduced by the Policies on Quality Standards for Programming and Monitoring, most references to the Country Programme Action Plan (CPAP) has been eliminated. When the reference to CPAP appears, it is alongside the UN Development Assistan+ce Framework (UNDAF) as CPAP to serve as country programme document signed with government that established national ownership of the programme.
Annual Work Plans were replaced with Multi-Year Work Plans. The PPM chapter also updated links and references to the new project document template. It also removed references and links to old considerations of quality programming and project document check list, and replaced them with references to the new Quality Standards for Programming and the Quality Assurance rating tools at various stages. It also added pre-Project Appraisal Committee requirements for Country Programme Documents (CPD).
Newly added exemptions for the application of the social and environmental screening procedure
March 1st, 2016
The $500,000 threshold for the requirement to conduct the social and environmental screening procedure was replaced with an expanded list of risk-based exemption criteria. Projects that consist solely of any of the following components will be exempt from the screening requirement, to be documented as part of the QA process:
- Preparation and dissemination of reports, documents and communication materials [existing exemption]
- Organization of an event, workshop, training [existing exemption]
- Strengthening capacities of partners to participate in international negotiations and conferences [new exemption]
- Partnership coordination (including UN coordination) and management of networks [new exemption]
- Global/regional projects with no country level activities (e.g. knowledge management, inter-governmental processes) [new exemption]
New Policy on Quality Standards for Programming
March 1st, 2016
Offices
are required to assure quality of all projects. The new programme design stage
quality assurance assessment form is available here.
For
project quality assurance, UNDP offices are required to use the following
forms:
Project
Design Stage QA Assessment Form
Project
Implementation Stage QA Assessment Form
Project
Closure Stage QA Assessment Form
New Monitoring Policy
March 1st, 2016
Monitoring provides an opportunity to validate or adjust the theory of change and make evidence-based decisions to improve programming performance and results achievement. Evidence collected from monitoring is reviewed periodically to assess performance and inform actions and decisions. Such reviews focus on projects, programmes, the ABP/IWP, or the Strategic Plan.
