PROJECT/ACTIVITY DATA · Web viewperformance and impact evaluations, as well as other studies and assessments; developing collaborating, learning and adapting initiatives; and strengthening

REQUEST FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION PROJECT/ACTIVITY DATA

Project/Activity Name: Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Activity

Geographic Location(s) (Country/Region):

ColombiaAmendment (Yes/No), if Yes indicate # (1, 2...):

No

Implementation Start/End Dates (FY or M/D/Y):

October 2018- October 2023

If Amended, specify New End Date:Solicitation/Contract/Award Number: N/AImplementing Partner(s): N/ABureau Tracking ID: LAC-IEE-18-25Tracking ID of Related RCE/IEE (if any): N/ATracking ID of Other, Related Analyses:

N/A

ORGANIZATIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE DATAImplementing Operating Unit(s): (e.g. Mission or Bureau or Office)

USAID/Colombia/PRO

Other Affected Operating Unit(s): Lead BEO Bureau: LACFunding Operating Unit(s): (e.g. Mission or Bureau or Office)

USAID/Colombia/PRO

Funding Account(s) (if available): Various funding accountsOriginal Funding Amount: 24 million If Amended, specify funding amount: If Amended, specify new funding total:Prepared by: Marylin CoicouDate Prepared: 1/18/18

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE REVIEW DATAAnalysis Type: ⌧ Request for Categorical

Exclusion◻ Deferral

Environmental Determination(s): ⌧ Categorical Exclusion ◻ Deferred (per 22CFR216.3(a)(7)(iv)

Categorical Exclusion Expiration Date (if different from implementation end date):Additional Analyses/Reporting

BUREAU/MISSION/PROJECT 1 USAID 216 RCE TEMPLATE VERSION 1, DECEMBER 2017

Required:Climate Risks Identified (#): Low __0___ Moderate ______ High ______Climate Risks Addressed (#): Low __0__ Moderate ______ High ______

THRESHOLD DETERMINATION AND SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

PROJECT/ACTIVITY SUMMARY The purpose of this activity is to provide USAID/Colombia with technical and advisory services related to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) on USAID/Colombia projects and activities. This includes providing monitoring support services; designing and implementing performance and impact evaluations, as well as other studies and assessments; developing collaborating, learning and adapting initiatives; and strengthening the Mission’s Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and analysis capacities. These efforts will facilitate informed program management decisions, shape the long-term strategic direction of programs and decision-making within the Mission, and enable USAID/Colombia to comply with USAID’s Evaluation Policy and USAID Automated Directives System (ADS) 201 directives. The expected result of this contract is to enhance the Mission’s MEL capability and to ensure empirical evidence for programming, learning and adapting.

The total estimated USAID Life of Project (LOP) funding for this five-year activity is up to $24 million. We are requesting a new RCE as the earlier one: LAC-IEE-12-48 was extended and expired on September 2017.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS

Upon approval of this document, the determinations become affirmed, per Agency regulations (22CFR216).

Per USAID Environmental Procedures, certain classes of actions may qualify for a Categorical Exclusion, pursuant to 22 CFR Section 216.2(c)(1) and (2), for which an Initial Environmental Examination, or an Environmental Assessment is not required. The activities described qualify for a categorical exclusion per 22 CFR 216 as follows:

1. Section 216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings; and

The following table summarizes the environmental determinations applicable to the specific projects/activities:

TABLE 1: ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS

Projects/ActivitiesCategorical Exclusion Citation (if applicable)

Recommendation

Project/Activity 1 Title MEL Activity §216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies,


academic or research workshops and meetings

Sub-activity 1.1 Title Monitoring Support Services

§216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings

Sub-Activity 1.2 Title Performance and Impact Evaluations


Sub-activity 1.3 Title Research, Assessment and Data Analysis


Sub-activity 1.4 TitleGeographic Information System (GIS) related services


Sub-activity 1.5 TitleCollaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities


CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT

This activity includes monitoring, evaluation, and other analytical and research


efforts; therefore implying a low (no) climate risk.

BEO SPECIFIED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL

No additional conditions of approval are required.

IMPLEMENTATIONIn accordance with 22CFR216 and Agency policy, the conditions and requirements of this document become mandatory upon approval. This includes the relevant limitations, conditions and requirements in this document as stated in Section 3 of this RCE and any BEO Specified Conditions of Approval.

This Activity will be implemented by a single contractor through a small business competitive process.

These evaluations, needs assessments, studies, and other analytical efforts will be completed via: surveys, interviews, focus groups, desk research, and other similar information gathering techniques. In summary, there will be no impact on the environment. No relevant limitations were identified to develop this activity. The deliverables include: reports, presentations, data files, maps, and workshops, among others.


USAID APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION

PROJECT/ACTIVITY NAME: ___Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Activity_____________

Bureau Tracking ID: ______________________

Approval: __________________________________________________Lawrence J. Sacks, Mission Director

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Aman S. Djahanbani, Deputy Mission Director

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Rebecca Hammel, Regional Legal Officer

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Elizabeth Mendenhall, Office Director, Program

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Marylin Coicou, Climate Integration Lead

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Paul Schmidtke, Regional Environmental Advisor

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Emily Waytoti, Alternate Mission Environmental Officer

______________Date

Clearance: __________________________________________________Omar Lopez, A/COR for MEL Activity

______________Date


Concurrence:

__________________________________________________Diana Shannon, Bureau Environmental Officer

______________Date


1.0 PROJECT AND ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF RCE

The purpose of this document is to establish that all proposed projects/activities under a new Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) belong to classes of actions eligible for Categorical Exclusions as set out in Agency regulations (22CFR 216.2(c)) and that there are no foreseeable significant direct or indirect impacts that would preclude them from receiving a Categorical Exclusion. Upon approval of this document, the Categorical Exclusions are affirmed for the project/activity. This analysis also documents the results of the project/activity level Climate Risk Management process in accordance with USAID policy (specifically, ADS 201 mandatory reference 201mal). This RCE is a critical element of a mandatory environmental review and compliance process meant to achieve environmentally sound activity design and implementation.

1.2 PROJECT OVERVIEW

The purpose of the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) contract is to provide USAID/Colombia with technical and advisory services such as analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meeting for USAID/Colombia projects and activities. The MEL activity includes the following components: 1) Monitoring Support Services, 2) Performance and Impact Evaluations, 3)Research, Assessments, and Data Analysis, 4) Geographic Information System (GIS) related services, and 5) Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities. Illustrative task include: providing monitoring support services; designing and implementing performance and impact evaluations, as well as other studies and assessments; developing collaborating, learning and adapting initiatives; and strengthening the Mission’s Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and analysis capacities. These efforts will facilitate informed program management decisions, shape the long-term strategic direction of programs and decision-making within the Mission, and enable USAID/Colombia to comply with USAID’s Evaluation Policy and USAID Automated Directives System (ADS) 201 directives. The expected result of this Contract is to enhance the Mission’s MEL capability and to ensure empirical evidence for programming, learning and adapting.

The total estimated USAID Life of Project (LOP) funding for this five-year activity is up to $24 million

1.3 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONUnder the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) activity, the contractor will provide USAID/Colombia with technical and advisory services to design and


implement: 1) performance evaluations1, 2) impact evaluations2, 3) assessments and 4) other analysis and components of evaluations (e.g., baselines). These qualitative and/or quantitative evaluations and assessments may be at the country, Development Objective, program, project, area / component, and/or activity-level.

This contract will require the following kinds of work:1. Desk studies; surveys and interviews2. Background research and analytic expertise to plan and implement

evaluation studies and related results-oriented program planning;3. Implementation planning, including team planning meetings, and research

designs for proposed studies;4. Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and analysis capacities5. Formative evaluations of program and project implementation and

summative evaluations of program and project results (including experimental and quasi experimental designs and case studies) requiring primary data collection in the field;

6. Drafting, revising, editing, and preparing for publication evaluation reports, impact evaluations, meta-evaluations, syntheses, and other publications related to evaluation;

7. Logistical and administrative support for field evaluations;8. Personnel to organize and implement workshops and seminars to disseminate

study findings; and9. Provide input, as needed, to tools developed by the Mission and uploaded

into Monitor, such as the Evaluation Tracker in order to ensure results dissemination and recommendation implementation.

The Mission will prioritize the following sub-activities. The Mission has not decided which impact and performance evaluations will be completed, but plans to prioritize the followingRural Financial Services (RFI)

Mid-Term Due: Nov 2018Final Due: August 2020Duration: 2015-2020Total Project Estimated Investment: TBDObjective: the Rural Finance Initiative’s mission is to improve inclusive financial intermediation in select conflict areas, promoting the provision of market-based rural financial services for micro, small and medium-size producers and enterprises.Producers to Markets Alliance (PMA)Mid-Term Due: November 2019Final Due: March 20221 Performance evaluations focus on what a particular project or program has achieved (either at an intermediate point or at the conclusion); how it is being implemented; how it is perceived; whether expected results are occurring; and other questions pertinent to program design, management and decision making. Performance evaluations often incorporate before-after comparisons, but generally lack a rigorously defined counterfactual.2 Impact evaluations measure the change in a development outcome that is attributable to a defined intervention; impact evaluations are based on models of cause and effect and require a credible and rigorously defined counterfactual to control for factors other than the intervention that might account for the observed change.


Duration: 2017-2022Total Project Estimated Investment: $ 71.4 millionObjective: USAID’s Producers to Market Alliance (PMA) seeks to strengthen legal economies in target areas by increasing the competitiveness of licit producers and the value of licit products.

Community Development and Licit Opportunities Activity (CDLO).Mid-Term Due: February 2020Final Due: September 2022Duration: 2017-2022Total Project Estimated Investment: $68 millionObjective: Implement comprehensive rural development activities in targeted conflict-affected regions characterized by low state presence, lack of economic opportunities, and a high presence of illegal crops

Justice for a Sustainable Peace Program (JSP)Mid-Term Due: February 2018Final Due: February 2021 Duration of project: 2017-2021Total Project Estimated Investment: $45 millionObjective: USAID’s Justice for a Sustainable Peace (JSP) activity aims to strengthen the effectiveness and responsiveness of the Colombian justice system, increase citizen support for the rule of law in conflict-affected regions, and address the critical justice needs of victims of the armed conflict.

Inclusion for Peace (IPA)Mid-Term Due: November 2018Final Due: November 2020 Duration: 2016-2020Total Project Estimated Investment: $50 millionObjective: The Activity seeks to foster social and economic inclusion of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities that have been severely affected by conflict, with a special emphasis within that community on people with disabilities, LGBTI population, and victims of gender-based violence.

Colombian Election Monitoring (MOE)Final Due: November 2019 Duration: 2014-2016Total Project Estimated Investment: $2.06 millionObjective: Support MOE’s efforts to strengthen citizen engagement, observation, advocacy, and transparency in the 2014 electoral process, both at the national and regional levels.

The MEL activity includes the following components: 1) Monitoring Support Services, 2) Performance and Impact Evaluations, 3)Research, Assessments, and Data Analysis, 4) Geographic Information System (GIS) related services, and 5) Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities. Below are the illustrative activities for each:Component I - Monitoring Support Services


Illustrative Tasks:

Anticipated tasks include, but are not limited to, the following illustrative tasks:

● Support the Mission in the development of Data Quality Assessments (DQAs). This task will entail field visits to review and analyze the quality of data collection procedures and ensure that the standard definition of indicators is being properly understood and applied.

● Identify jointly with USAID/Colombia relevant context indicators for the Mission’s programming at the national, departmental and municipal level. The Contractor must collect and update data for the context indicators identified in available secondary sources and USAID datasets coming from evaluations and assessments. It will also contribute to the construction of tables and dashboards for consulting context indicator data.

● Support the Mission and its implementing partners (primarily responsible for performance indicator data collection and reporting) in the data collection of baselines and monitoring data. In particular it may support Implementing Partners to identify and gather data on context and impact indicators.

● Review and analyze context and performance data collected by the Contractor or USAID implementing partners, particularly as needed for MEL purposes.

● Contribute to data collection and standardization of cross-cutting issues, such as gender equality and female empowerment, among others.

Component II - Performance and Impact Evaluations Illustrative Tasks:

Anticipated tasks for evaluations include, but are not limited to, the following illustrative tasks:

● Provide evaluation teams that meet the requirements in terms of experience, education, language and technical skills.

● Design evaluations appropriately to address stated evaluation questions, ensuring both qualitative and quantitative evaluation designs and data triangulation.

● Conduct scheduled performance and impact evaluations as required at the activity, project, DO, strategy or other levels.

● Conduct evaluations in accordance with the ADS 201 and the Evaluation Policy and planned by USAID.

● Provide deliverables pertaining to each evaluation. ● The contractor will provide all necessary logistical support, including travel

arrangements (with required USAID clearances), meeting and interview arrangements, computer support5, team planning facilitation, and report editing and dissemination. The Contractor is also required to provide central management and oversight of the evaluation activities.

Component III - Research, Assessments, and Data Analysis

Illustrative Tasks



● Design jointly with USAID needs assessments for the Mission’s new CDCS to inform its development.

● Design jointly with USAID needs assessments for the new activities to inform their design.

● Develop specific analytical products, such as: political economy assessments, regional case studies, and thematic assessments.

● Refine questions and designs related to cross-cutting issues to be examined in studies, as relevant, such as gender equality and female empowerment and sustainability in terms of local capacity, among others.

● Conduct assessments, academic studies, situational analyses, rapid appraisals, surveys, polling, feasibility studies, cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and cost- efficiency analysis (CEA), and others on certain sectors or issues relevant to USAID’s programmatic or strategic

● Analyze and present data and findings obtained in those assessments. ● Link research to the Mission’s MEL systems and share with different audiences

the resulting analysis and information.

Component IV - Geographic Information System (GIS) related servicesIllustrative Tasks Anticipated tasks include, but are not limited to, the following illustrative tasks:

● Assess and review the status of the GIS capacities of the Mission and IPs, including a review of the products and analyses done. The contractor will send a report with findings and recommendations.

● Develop the necessary GIS standards and templates for the Mission and IPs in order to standardize GIS related deliverables and data submission. Implement as well GIS best practices in areas such as geospatial meta-data standards, workflows, and data-sharing protocols.

● Using visualization tools, assist USAID subject matter experts with spatial analytical thinking for improved planning, monitoring, evaluation, learning, and reporting of programs. This will include mapping USAID interventions at municipal and vereda level, including relevant social, political, and economic data as needed for USAID programming. It also includes developing and delivering on-demand GIS analysis and GIS information maps such as coca crops, youth, ethnic communities, vulnerability, resource-use, and project location.

● Assist USAID/Colombia in planning and collection of all GIS-related data elements of monitoring, evaluation, and learning, e.g. surveys, evaluations, and baseline collections, as well as in the preparation of the corresponding maps, as required.

● Collect geographic location coordinate data from USAID implementing partners and conduct onsite visits to complement available data.

● Prepare clear visualizations showing the results of data analysis to USAID and relevant stakeholders using formats as appropriate (paper, web-based, GEO PDF, story maps, etc.).

● Define and apply a production workflow to streamline data management from collection to cartographic output. When relevant, collect, clean, and process


the data from disparate sources and format for reporting on ad-hoc GIS-related requests.

● Liaise with GOC institutions in order to keep a list and repository of secondary data that can be useful for specific types of analyses.

● Collaborate with the geospatial community both locally and internationally. Build working-level contacts with international and bilateral donor organizations responsible for the coordination of donor assistance.

● Provide capacity-building and training of the Mission and IPs in the use of monitoring and reporting tools for GIS-related project indicators measurements, including the use of Monitor and data tools developed to track specific project indicators. Provide also information and training that improves Mission knowledge in the effective use of GIS.

Component V - Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activitiesIllustrative tasks:


● Promote Collaborating, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities● Conduct and lead meetings, workshops and presentations on the results of

Components I, II, III and IV described in previous sections, for USAID/Colombia and other Missions staff, and outside stakeholders, as appropriate.

● Support a series of workshops and conferences to convene USAID staff, implementing partners, and local stakeholders in order to discuss challenges, share best practices, and foster collaboration on specific topics related to USAID’s areas of intervention.

● Review MEL systems and results for lessons learned. ● Suggest recommendations to respond to lessons learned. ● Facilitate development of learning agendas and share best practices. ● Support Mission staff in learning and adapting to align policies, practices and

processes with lessons learned.

TABLE 2: DEFINED OR ILLUSTRATIVE PROJECTS/ACTIVITIES AND SUB-ACTIVITIESProject/Activity 1 — MEL Activity

Sub-activity 1.1 : Monitoring Support Services

Sub-activity 1.2: Performance and Impact Evaluations

Sub-activity: 1.3: Research, Assessments, and Data Analysis

Sub-activity: 1.4: Geographic Information System (GIS) related services

Sub-activity: 1.5 :Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities


These activities belong to classes of actions eligible for Categorical Exclusion. There will not be any field implementation and therefore there are no direct or indirect impacts foreseeable, nor is there a concern regarding environmental sensitive activities enumerated in ADS 204.


2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS2.1 JUSTIFICATION FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION The activities under the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) activity are among the classes of actions listed in 22CFR216.2(c)(2) and have no foreseeable significant direct or indirect adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, under 22CFR216.2(c)(1), neither an IEE nor an EA will be required for these activities. Instead, a Categorical Exclusion is recommended for the projects/activities described above in Section 1.3 as follows:

A Categorical Exclusion is issued to the Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) activity, pursuant to 22 CFR 216.2(c)(2):

(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings;

TABLE 3: RECOMMENDED DETERMINATION FOR CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONProject/Activity and Sub-Activity #

Recommended Determination for Categorical Exclusion

MEL Activity§216.2(c)(2)(iii) Analyses, studies, academic or research workshops and meetings

Monitoring Support Services


Performance and Impact Evaluations


Research, Assessment and Data Analysis


Geographic Information System (GIS) related services


Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities




2.2 CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT

TABLE 4. PROJECT AND ACTIVITY CLIMATE RISK MANAGEMENT SUMMARY TABLEDefined or Anticipated Project Elements

(Purpose/Sub-purpose, Area of Focus, or Activity/ Mechanism, etc.)

Climate Risks

List key risks related to the project elements identified through either the strategy- or project-level climate risk assessment.

Risk Rating

Low/Moderate/ High

How Risks are Addressed at Project Level

Describe how risks have been addressed at the project level. If a decision has been made to accept the risk, briefly explain why.

Further Analysis and Actions for Activity Design/ Implementation

Describe CRM measures to be integrated into activity design or implementation, including additional analysis, if applicable.

Opportunities to Strengthen Climate Resilience

Describe opportunities to achieve development objectives by integrating climate resilience or mitigation measures.

MEL Activity Analysis, studies, academic research, workshops and meetings planned in the activity will occur in controlled environments and present no additional risks from climate change than other administrative functions within USAID. As such,

Low NA NA


no additional mitigation measure will be applied

Monitoring Support Services

Analysis, studies, academic research, workshops and meetings planned in the activity will occur in controlled environments and present no additional risks from climate change than other administrative functions within USAID. As such, no additional mitigation measure will be applied

Low NA NA

Performance and Impact Evaluations

Analysis, studies, academic research, workshops and meetings planned in the activity will occur in controlled environments and present no additional risks from climate

Low NA NA


change than other administrative functions within USAID. As such, no additional mitigation measure will be applied

Research, Assessment and Data Analysis


Low NA NA

Geographic Information System (GIS) related services

Analysis, studies, academic research, workshops and meetings planned in the activity will occur in controlled

Low NA NA


environments and present no additional risks from climate change than other administrative functions within USAID. As such, no additional mitigation measure will be applied

Collaboration, Learning and Adapting (CLA) activities


Low NA NA


3.0 LIMITATIONS OF THE CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONThe categorical exclusions recommended in this document apply only to projects/activities and sub-activities described herein.

Other projects/activities that may arise must be subject to an environmental analysis and the appropriate documentation prepared and approved, whether it be a new Request for Categorical Exclusion, an amendment, or other type of 22CFR216 document.

It is confirmed that the projects/activities described herein do not involve actions normally having a significant effect on the environment, including those described in 22CFR216.2(d)

No additional studies are required because of categorical exclusion, and the fact that it has a low climate risk.

3.1 MANDATORY INCLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS IN SOLICITATIONS, AWARDS, BUDGETS,

USAID will ensure the environmental compliance requirements are incorporated into solicitations, awards, budgets, and work plans, including relevant limitations of Section 3 above. In addition,


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PROJECT/ACTIVITY DATA · Web viewperformance and impact evaluations, as well as other studies and assessments; developing collaborating, learning and adapting initiatives; and strengthening