COVER PAGE INFORMATION |
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1. Country: Global |
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2. Focal Area: International Waters, with relevance to water-related projects of other focal areas. |
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3a. Operational Programme: OP10: Contaminant-based Operational Programme Regional/Global Technical Support Component 3b. Strategic Priority: 3 |
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4. Project Title: Strengthening Global Capacity To Sustain Transboundary Waters: · PIMS 2838 |
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5. Total Cost: $425,000 |
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6. PDF Request: $350,000 Block: PDF Block B |
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7. In-kind contributions: $ 75,000, including local transport, meeting rooms, logistics, translation, interpretation, technical and administrative services. |
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8. Requesting Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in close cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Bank (IBRD) UNDP contact person : Andrew Hudson andy.Hudson@undp.org |
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9. Executing Agency: United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) |
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10. Duration: July 2003 – December 2003 |
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PROJECT STRUCTURE |
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11. Project objective: The project’s development objective is to strengthen the management of International Waters by facilitating information sharing and learning among Transboundary Waters Management (TWM) stakeholders.[1] Towards this end, the IW:LEARN Operational Phase aims to advance GEF IW projects’ knowledge base, replication efficiency, transparency, stakeholder ownership and sustainability of benefits through – A. Facilitating Access to Information on Transboundary Water Resources B. Structured Learning Among IW Projects and Cooperating Partners C. Coordinating Biennial International Waters Conferences D. Testing Innovative Approaches to Strengthen Implementation of the IW Portfolio E. Fostering Partnerships to Sustain Benefits of IW:LEARN and its Technical Support
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12. Global significance: In pursuit of their respective environmental and development objectives, transboundary waters management projects have similar capacity needs. At the outset, project proponents rarely know where to go to discover viable solutions to the shared waters problems they face. Until very recently, learning by trial and error among isolated IW projects has largely been the status quo, a serious challenge to effective adaptive management across the GEF IW portfolio. Project personnel rarely have the time or resources for extended off-site education. It is thus important to establish readily accessible information sharing and structured learning mechanism to prepare the emerging generation of TWM personnel. The recent GEF International Waters Program Study (IWPS) highlighted the difficulty of channeling lessons learned back into ongoing projects or into the project development process.[2] Participants in GEF IW projects seek out these lessons, but they are difficult to discover and utilize without targeted capacity-building or technical assistance from dedicated technical support. For further details, please refer to Operational Phase Concept Paper, Section 6 (“Country Drivenness,” p. 1) and Annex 3 (“IW:LEARN Importance, Coverage and Linkage to Global Priorities” p. 26). |
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13. Background: The IW:LEARN Pilot Phase project directly contributed to realizing the expected outcomes for OP10.[3] The Pilot Phase initiated procedures for incorporating lessons learned into formulation and implementation of GEF IW projects by fostering a knowledge-sharing community of GEF IW projects and partners through face-to-face interactions and distance learning. Pilot activities demonstrated various distance learning, knowledge sharing and knowledge management products and services, and tested their capacity-building value to this community. Independent evaluation has identified that several highly successful capacity-building activities emerged from the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase. The Pilot Phase has demonstrated a suite of complementary face-to-face, paper and Information Communications Technology (ICT)-mediated service areas that have proven effective and are ready to be scaled up and made operational. The International Waters Program Study underscored that the GEF’s IW:LEARN and International Waters Conference pilot projects were “promising steps taken” to address existing deficiencies in inter- and intra-project collaboration to incorporate lessons learned, prevent duplication and ensure efficiency. It concluded that there is a need to formalize the process of feeding back lessons learned in a transparent and effective manner, such as proposed through the Operational Phase of IW:LEARN. The GEF’s 2001 Project Performance Review further stated that IW:LEARN’s “efforts towards horizontal linkages and learning between projects should be continued and strengthened.” Since then, independent evaluation of the Pilot Phase confirmed that IW:LEARN’s objectives remain very relevant to GEF IW projects, emphasizing that the justification for the project is as valid today as it was when IW:LEARN was originally conceived. Furthermore, the evaluation recommended that those methods determined as successful should now enter their operational phase. The GEF's IAs are now proposing to use IW:LEARN's successfully tested techniques in an Operational Phase Full-Sized Project (FSP) to build the capacity of GEF IW projects through ongoing exchanges of experience and active learning. IW:LEARN is poised to address projects’ priorities at the global scale and to collaborate with other projects to replicate its services within their transboundary basins and subsets of the GEF IW portfolio. For further details, please refer to Operational Phase Concept Paper, Section 7 (“Context,” p. 2), Annex 4 (“Global and Regional Contexts for IW:LEARN,” p. 30) and Annex 6 (“Independent Evaluation of Pilot Phase of IW:LEARN and International Waters Conferences,” p. 45). |
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14. Project description: including implementation arrangements Project Objective: To strengthen the management of International Waters by facilitating information sharing and learning among Transboundary Waters Management (TWM) stakeholders. COMPONENTS, OBJECTIVES AND OUTPUTS The Full Project is expected to consist of the following five components and associated objectives and outputs: COMPONENT A. Facilitation of Access to Information on Transboundary Water Resources Among GEF IW Projects Immediate Objective A: To facilitate the integration, exchange and accessibility of data and information across GEF IW project sites to IW projects, their partners and stakeholders.[4] Result A: 95% of GEF IW projects have established Web sites, based on a common format and linked to a comprehensive information network. Activity A.1 Establish a central metadata directory of all available IW project data and information (GEF IW Information Management System: IW-IMS) Activity A.2 Develop a "Library of Practical Experiences" to increase access to GEF IW projects' experiences and address surveyed needs and priorities. Activity A.3 Provide technical assistance to GEF IW projects to develop or strengthen their websites and ICT tools according to defined ICT quality criteria,[5] and connect all GEF IW project websites to the GEF IW Information Management System. COMPONENT B. Structured Learning Among IW Projects and Cooperating Partners Immediate Objective B: To establish and technically support a series of face-to-face and electronically-mediated structured learning activities[6] – or learning exchanges – among related projects within the GEF IW portfolio. Result B.1: 10 - 20 projects share experiences within 3 - 5 regions Activity B.1 Organize 3-5 inter-project learning exchanges on a regional scale Result B.2: 20 - 30 projects share experiences addressing 3 - 4 IW themes Activity B.2 Organize 3-4 thematic inter-project learning exchanges Result B.3: 10 - 14 projects share experiences through 5 - 7 inter-project exchanges of staff. Activity B.3 Coordinate inter-project exchanges between GEF IW projects and partners Result B.4: At least 15 projects increase their capacity to involve the public in project development and implementation Activity B.4 Provide face-to-face and virtual training to enhance public participation in Transboundary Waters Management. COMPONENT C. Biennial International Waters Conferences Immediate Objective C: To hold GEF IW conferences in 2004 and 2006, gathering the IW community for sharing experience among GEF IW projects, stakeholders, evaluators and other IW programs and institutions. Result C: The GEF hosts two comprehensive reviews (2004, 2006) of the GEF IW portfolio, including exchange of experience within the portfolio and with related transboundary waters programs. Activity C.1 Organize third GEF International Waters Conference Activity C.2 Organize fourth GEF International Waters Conference COMPONENT D. Testing Innovative Approaches to Strengthen Implementation of The IW Portfolio Immediate Objective D: To test, evaluate and replicate novel approaches and ICT tools to meet IW stakeholder needs.[7] Result D: GEF agencies develop, test and, where successful, replicate regional, sub-regional and thematic demonstrations for improving Transboundary Water Management among GEF IW projects. Activity D.1 Organize Public Private Partnership (P3) Meeting Activity D.2 Develop African IW network Activity D.3 Develop South East Asia Regional Learning Center (SEA-RLC) Activity D.4 Create a Black Sea/Danube Regional Distance Learning Program Activity D.5 Build a Transboundary Aquifer and Groundwater Management Learning Community Activity D.6 Address South-eastern Mediterranean Transboundary Waters Information Management Activity D.7 Assist IW Capacity Building in the Amazon Basin COMPONENT E. Fostering Partnerships to Sustain Benefits of IW:LEARN and Associated Technical Support Immediate Objective E: To sustain and institutionalize information sharing and learning exchanges across GEF IW projects and GEF entities. Result E: GEF agencies design and implement a strategic plan to sustain IW:LEARN project benefits to the GEF IW community Activity E.1 Facilitate internal dialogue and partnerships with Implementing Agencies (IAs) and Executing Agencies (EAs). Activity E.2 Pursue dialogue and partnerships with external organizations For further details regarding outcomes, activities and indicators, please refer to Operational Phase Concept Paper, Section 9 (“Expected Outcomes and Activities of the Full Project,” p. 6). IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS Following joint formulation and review of the project concept by the IW:LEARN Steering Committee (SC) through May 2003, the project will be implemented through close cooperation between UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank. IW leads from all three agencies and from GEF Secretariat, M&E Unit and STAP will comprise the project’s Steering Committee. An executive from the Executing Agency and additional donors to the project will also be invited to participate in the Steering Committee. During the interim PDF-B stage, the committee plans to evaluate and select the most appropriate option for NGO or international agency execution during the Operational Phase. Co-implementation and executing modalities among the IAs will be determined through consultations and through their participation in IW:LEARN's Steering Committee during the PDF-B period. The IW lead from the GEF M&E unit will also be invited to participate, in order to ensure that the FSP project is designed to help the GEF "close the circuit" between lessons derived from M&E and project practices which could benefit from such knowledge. Based on guidance from the Pilot Project Steering Committee, UNOPS has been selected as Executing Agency (EA) for the PDF-B stage of project preparation. Special collaboration arrangements between the UNOPS-executed IW:LEARN Secretariat office and the GEF offices of each IA during PDF-B implementation will ensure that::
The Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for IW:LEARN will be responsible for the coordination and successful implementation of the PDF-B project. The CTA and his designees will regularly liaise with and report to the SC to ensure optimal participation and ownership of the FSP across these agencies and the projects they implement.. Representatives from the GEF Secretariat and all three IAs to the Steering Committee will meet in November 2003 to review draft FSP Project Document and finalize FSP implementation arrangements. A meeting among the collaborating agencies is also planned for the period immediately following Council review of the Project Brief, in order to ensure coordinated launch of the FSP, once the Project Document is sent to and reviewed by the GEF CEO. |
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15. Description of proposed PDF Block B activities: The PDF Block B activities are designed to be fully consultative and participatory, leading to the GEF Project Brief submittal to the November 2003GEF Council meeting , followed by Project Document submittal in December 2003. Objective 1. Submit Full-Sized Project Brief, developed through participatory process with key stakeholders, to Implementing Agencies, STAP, partners and stakeholders (by August 12), GEF Secretariat (by September 12), to GEF Council (by October 9), and disseminate Council-approved version to project partners and stakeholders (by December 28, 2003). Activity 1: Adapt and refine Background and Context section from Concept Paper (sections 5-7) by July 11. Activity 2: Adapt and refine Rationale and Objectives section from Concept Paper (section 8) by July 11.Activity 3: Determine IA roles in task management by FSP component and/or result by July 11. Activity 4: Establish and document implementation arrangements for inter-IA coordination by July 18. Activity 5A: Survey and summarize stakeholder needs, partners’ capacities, resources and insights for information access (FSP Component A), by July 25.Activity 5B: Survey and summarize stakeholder needs, partners’ capacities, resources and insights for structured learning (FSP Component B), by July 25.Activity 5C: Survey and summarize stakeholder needs, partners’ capacities, resources and insights for next International Waters Conference (FSP Component C), by July 25.Activity 5D: Develop and prioritize Concept Paper (Section 9) proposals for testing innovative approaches (FSP Component D), by July 25.Activity 5E: Survey and summarize partners’ capacities, resources and proposed contributions towards fostering partnerships to mainstream the IW:LEARN approach (FSP Component E), by July 25.Activity 6: Document stakeholder participation by August 1. Activity 7: Draft logframe matrix and detail components/activities and concrete and monitorable results, incorporating stakeholders’ inputs by August 1. Activity 8: Determine Executing Agency arrangements by August 8. Activity 9: Activity 9: Document risks and sustainability plans (for fostering continued use of ICTs to improve IW projects’ success and mainstreaming IW:LEARN approach across GEF agencies) by August 8.Activity 10: Draft Input- and Output-based Budgets by August 1. Activity 11: Prepare Incremental Cost Analysis (Annex) by August 8. Activity 12: Draft co-financing inputs, including written documentation of all sources of co-financing, cash and in-kind, by August 8, finalize by September 5. Activity 13: Draft policy for developing cost-sharing with other projects by September 5 (then submit for IA confirmation by Nov. 5) Activity 14: Document M&E Plan, with guidance from IW:LEARN Pilot Phase Independent Evaluator and GEF M&E Unit. By August 8. Activity 15: Document dissemination and outreach plans by August 8. Activity 16: Collate all Project Brief contents[8], prefaced by Cover Page and List of Acronyms and Abbeviations, into draft project brief, circulated for review by stakeholders, partners, IAs and STAP by August 12. Activity 17: Append Annex C (STAP Review and Response to Comments) to Brief revised to address STAP, partners’ and stakeholders’ insights by September 8, then submit (through UNDP) to GEF Secretariat by September 12. Activity 18: Draft and insert any additional optional Annexes, including Stakeholder Involvement Plan (SIP), by September 8. Activity 19: Update Response to Comments and Brief to address insights from GEF Secretariat and IAs, then submit via GEF Secretariat to GEF Council by October 9. Activity 20: Update Response to Comments and Brief to address insights from GEF Council, then re-submit, post to IW:LEARN Web site and announce URL to partners and projects within 2 weeks of receipt of insights from GEF Council, but not later than December 28. Objective 2: Submit Full-Sized Project Document by December 31, 2003.Activity 21: Adapt these introductory sections from Outputs 1.1-1.2 by October 3. Activity 22: Create Annex of lessons learned from pilot phase (independent evaluation and final TPR) and stakeholder surveys (Activity 5), by October 10. Activity 23: Update Project Justification from Project Brief (Output 1.3), based upon and referring to Annex on lessons learned, by October 17. Activity 24: Insert GEF-approved Development Objective (Output 1.3), by October 17. Activity 25A: Design and specify costing for process to develop the (Component A) International Waters Information System (IWIS), including Central Metadata Directory, User Interface and Application Layers; draft by August 8, finalize by October 17. Activity 25B: Design and specify costing for methodology (e.g., decision-making, outreach and coordination) to select and organize structured learning activities among IW projects and partners (Component B); draft by August 8, finalize by October 17. Activity 25C: Design and specify costing for framework (e.g., partners, venue, foci) to develop the International Waters Conferences in 2004 and 2006 (Component C); draft by August 8, finalize by October 17. Activity 25D: Refine and specify costing for concepts to test highest priority innovative approaches to strengthen implementation of the IW portfolio (Component D); draft by August 8, finalize by October 17. Activity 25E: Design process and specify costing to develop partnerships to sustain FSP benefits (Component E); draft by August 8, finalize by October 17. Activity 26: Collate by October 29 the following implementation information, as drafted (by October 24) for each FSP Component (A-E) by its respective IA or EA task manager (Activity 3): a. Outcomes and Indicators of Success b. Implementation of Activities (by Component and Objective) c. Inputs (by Year and by Source) d. Outputs by Year e. Scope and Timing for the Component (Timeline) f. 2004 Work Plan by Quarter Activity 27: Draft Components section, Table of Outputs by Year and Annex of 2004 Work Plan for rough draft Project Document by October 31. Activity 28: Draft Inputs section – including quantification of expected co-financing and in-kind contributions by source (IAs, EA, partners and projects) – identify and quantify values for Project Brief by August 22, then complete section for rough draft Project Document by October 31. Activity 29: Derive Input-based Budget tables by co-financing source and by year (from Outputs 1.7 and 2.4) for rough draft Project Document by October 31. Activity 30: Revise (Output 1.5) and detail Risks, Assumptions and Sustainability (esp. issues related to Activity 31: Finalize plans across IAs for programmatic approach to cost sharing with other projects (including Activity 13) by November 17. Activity 31: Finalize plans across IAs for programmatic approach to cost sharing with other projects by November 17. Activity 32: Draft Prior Obligations and Prerequisites for second draft of Project Document, by December 5. Activity 33: Finalize and document NGO execution arrangements (from Output 1.6) by October 10, including Annexes which provide: a. Overview of EA, b. Project Cooperation Agreement, c. Capacities: Assessment and Action Plan for NGO execution, and d. (if needed) Rationale for Waiver from Competitive Bidding. Activity 34: Revise (Output 1.6) and detail Implementation and Execution section, including Organizational Chart and Annex of Terms of Reference for all project roles, by October 31. Activity 35: Revise Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (Output 1.8) to incorporate reporting and refinements to project design (Output 2.4) by November 5. Activity 36: Revise Dissemination (Output 1.8) to incorporate reporting and refinements to project design Activity 37: Collate all sections for delivery of rough draft to IW:LEARN Steering Committee by November 5. Activity 38: Incorporate IW:LEARN Steering Committee review (November 17) into second draft Project Document by December 5. Activity 39: Incorporate IW:LEARN Steering Committee review of second draft to create final draft Project Document by December 19. Activity 40: Deliver final draft Project Document to GEF by December 31. |
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16. PDF Block B Outputs: Objective 1. Submit Full-Sized Project Brief, developed through participatory process with key stakeholders, to Implementing Agencies, STAP, partners and stakeholders (by August 12), GEF Secretariat (by September 12), to GEF Council (by October 9), and disseminate Council-approved version to project partners and stakeholders (by December 28, 2003). Output 1.1 Cover Page and List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Output 1.2 Background and Context Output 1.3 Rationale and Objectives Output 1.4 Project Activities/Components and Expected Results, incl. Annex B. Logframe matrix Output 1.5 Risks and Sustainability Output 1.6 Stakeholder Participation and Implementation Arrangements Output 1.7 Incremental Costs and Project Financing, incl. Annex A. Incremental Cost Annex Output 1.8 Monitoring, Evaluation & Dissemination Output 1.9 Annex C. STAP Roster Technical Review, incl. C1. Response to STAP/Council/IA comments Output 1.10 Other (Optional) Annexes deemed important to support the proposal (e.g., Public Involvement Plan, Reference Documents). Objective 2: Submit Full-Sized Project Document by December 31, 2003. Output 2.1 Cover Page, Acronyms and Abbreviations, and Context Output 2.2 Project Justification Output 2.3 Development Objective Output 2.4 Components, Immediate Objectives, Results, and Activities Output 2.5 Inputs and Budget Output 2.6 Risks, Assumptions and Sustainability Output 2.7 Prior Obligations and Prerequisites Output 2.8 Implementation and Execution Output 2.9 Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Dissemination (Output 2.4), implementation and execution (Output 2.8) by November 5. Output 2.10 Final Project Document Submitted to GEF CEO | |||||||||||||||||
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17. Eligibility: IW:LEARN support is made available to GEF projects of countries eligible under the GEF Instrument. | |||||||||||||||||
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18. National level support: IW:LEARN has fostered information sharing, structured learning, and collaboration across the GEF’s International Waters portfolio. At local, regional and global scales, IW:LEARN stakeholders have adapted and applied information, skills and tools tested through IW:LEARN to sustain the benefits of their respective transboundary waters projects. A successful Pilot Phase – now nearing completion – assessed and addressed the needs of country-driven GEF IW projects and their staff. IW:LEARN demonstrated how the GEF IW projects can effectively apply new Information and Communications Technology (ICT)[9] tools to increase access to transboundary waters information across participating countries. The Pilot Phase also tested the use of inter-project dialogue to clarify the needs of stakeholders relative to skills development and institutional capacity building. The Pilot Phase then evolved a methodology to target IW:LEARN activities to meet emerging GEF IW projects’ demands.[10] In this manner, country-drivenness has been demonstrated by meeting the technical support demands of GEF IW projects that received country-driven, focal point endorsements. The FSP also has the countries' support through formal partnerships with organizations of nations, including the Organization of American States and the UNESCO/International Hydrological Programme (IHP). The Pilot Phase technically supported the national priorities and activities of over 120 nations in more than 70 International Waters (IW) projects that are now under implementation or in the GEF pipeline, as well as in water-related projects of other GEF focal areas. Based on this successful experience, the GEF Implementing Agencies[11] (IAs) now propose jointly launching an Operational Phase of IW:LEARN to scale-up information sharing and structured learning activities in order to strengthen the management of IW projects. In partnership with the GEF Secretariat and the GEF M&E Unit, the Operational Phase will also continue influential GEF International Waters Conferences (IWCs) and test innovative approaches to enhance efficacy throughout the GEF’s IW portfolio. | |||||||||||||||||
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19. Justification: For FSP: In pursuit of its global objective, IW:LEARN will improve GEF IW projects’ information base, replication efficiency, transparency, stakeholder ownership and sustainability of benefits through:
To date, the vast majority of GEF IW projects (and their associated stakeholders), across all 3 implementing agencies, have benefited from IW:LEARN and the (two) associated Biennial GEF International Waters Conferences. The Pilot Phase Project recently completed its final independent evaluation. The evaluation both positively reviewed the project's outputs and implementation approach, and strongly recommended that the GEF continue to provide this important technical support to the rapidly maturing GEF International Waters portfolio. For PDF-B: The project is approaching a critical juncture as the current Pilot Phase is scheduled to end in Summer 2003 with potential loss of significant human resources and institutional memory. Reviewed by GEF in December 2002 and May 2003, the Project Concept has already undergone extensive interagency dialog, so is quite advanced. Now that the GEF CEO has approved the Concept, Block B activity will allow IW:LEARN to adequately develop the GEF Full Size Project with direct input from its stakeholders, and to mobilize resources for FSP implementation. The three IAs are confident that the project preparation can be completed on schedule for a November 2003 Council submission and December 2003 GEF CEO review. | |||||||||||||||||
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20. Timetable PDF B activities are planned to start promptly following concept approval by the GEF in July 2003 and to be completed in December 2003. The IW:LEARN Operational Phase Project Brief will be presented to the GEF Secretariat in September for review by the GEF Council in November, with the Full Sized Project Document submitted in December 2003. Endorsement by the GEF CEO and signature by the IW:LEARN Operational Phase Implementing and Executing Agencies are planned for December 2003. PDF-B Budget (total GEF: $350,000)
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