Appraisal of SSDPF bids

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Appraisal of SSDPF bids
Vicki Plater Strategy, Advisory and Evaluation
Group
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What does a DPF concept bid look like?

• Summary activity description intended outcomes
• Fit with SSDPF objective
• Fit with national/regional plans
• Fit with counterparts mandate
• Fit with your mandate
• How need identified
• Value for money

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SSDPF objective

• contributing to prosperity, stability and
  poverty reduction in partner countries by
  enhancing the conditions for broad-based
  sustainable economic growth

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What does a DPF concept bid look like?

• Summary activity description intended outcomes
• Fit with SSDPF objective
• Fit with national/regional plans
• Fit with counterparts mandate
• Fit with your mandate
• How need identified
• Value for money

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What does a DPF proposal look like?

• Activity description problem identification,
  anticipated outcomes, outputs and inputs
• Ownership fit with national/regional plans
• Alignment fit with SSDPF objective, counterpart
  organisations and own agencys mandates
• Relevance how complements other donor
  initiatives
• Managing for Development Results risks,
  sustainability and exit strategy, monitoring and
  evaluation
• Efficiency value for money
• Cross-cutting issues gender, environment and
  human rights

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What criteria do we use to assess bids?

• (i) Relevance? (meet priority needs, contribute
  to SED)
• (ii) Effectiveness? (in achieving objectives)
• (iii) Efficiency? (value for money, management
  arrangements)
• (iv) Impact? (intended and unintended)
• (v) Sustainability? (development benefits beyond
  the activity)

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What criteria do we use to assess bids?

• (vi) Cross cutting issues? (gender, environment,
  human rights)
• (vii) Broader policy interests? (MFAT)
• (viii) Aid effectiveness?
• Ownership
• Alignment
• Harmonisation
• Managing for development results
• Mutual accountability

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Strengths in applications

• Strong understanding of context
• ? proposal is relevant and sustainable
• Promote ongoing relationships between agencies
• Aligns with strategy and links to development
• Demonstrate consultation and coordination with
  relevant govt/regional agencies and donors

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Common weaknesses

• What is the big picture?
• Lack specifics - what are you trying to achieve
  and how will the proposed approach contribute to
  that?
• Poor country ownership
• Implementation approach not appropriate e.g.
  burden on limited human resource capacity
• Cross-cutting issues just box-ticking

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Value for money?

• A contestable fund is there good value from
  this spend?
• Best mechanism for delivery?
• Additionality? Not just transferring core
  government function?
• Overheads or consultancy fees?