Slides

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Monitoring and Evaluation in Humanitarian Aid
Quality Procedures PROJECT STRAND 1 Training
and Capacity Building
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(No Transcript)
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Setting

• The General Conditions
• Are an integral part of the Grant Agreement
  which is stipulated between the Humanitarian
  Organisation and ECHO for each single operation
• Establish the rules which govern the humanitarian
  operations
• Are organised in 19 articles as follows
• General and Administrative provisions (1 14)
• Financial provisions (15 19)

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In particular
The GC define
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GC Highlights

• Article1 General Obligations
• highlights
• The proposal shall be in accordance with the
  standard forms annexed to the FPA
• The HO may act in partnership or contract parts
  (not all) of the operation
• The HO is fully responsible for the execution of
  contracted activities

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GC highlights

• Article 2 Information and financial narrative
  reports
• Highlights
• The HO shall provide the EC with full information
  on the implementations of the operation
  particularly it shall report on the indicators
  specified in the proposal 2.1.
• The reports (on ECHO forms and in same language
  as GA) shall allow comparison of the objectives,
  results and budget expected and/or obtained
  2.2./2.3.
• The HO shall send ECHO additional information on
  request within 30 days of the request 2.5.
• Failure to fulfill terms of reporting may be the
  cause for termination of the GA (reiterative
  failure may be the cause of suspension of FPA)
  2.6.

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GC Highlights

• Article 3/4/5 Liability, Conflict of interest,
  Confidentiality
• Highlights
• The HO shall have sole responsability towards
  third Parties (ECHO is discharged of all
  liability) 3.1., 3.3.
• The HO shall take all precautions to avoid
  conflict of interests for any person under its
  responsability
• The confidentiality of reports and other
  documents classified as confidential is the
  responsability of the Parties for a minimum of 5
  years

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GCHighlights

• Article 6 Visibility
• highlights
• The HO shall contribute to the visibility of the
  operations financed by the EC, provided that this
  does not harm its mandate or the safety of its
  staff
• The HO should present a visibility plan within
  the framework of the operations 6.2.
• Communications or publications by the HO shall
  display the EU logo and shall quote EC
  contributions ( of the contribution) with the
  note
• this document has been produced with the
  financial assistance of the European Community.
  The views expressed herein should not taken, in
  any way, to reflect the official opinion of the
  European Community

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GCHighlights

• Article 7 Ownership and use of Results and
  assets
• highlights
• Unless otherwise specified in the Special
  Conditions the equipment, vehicles and supplies
  purchased in the framework of an Operation shall
  be transferred to local authorities, partners or
  final recipients (excluding commercial
  contractors) 7.3.
• The HO shall submit one month before the end of
  the implementation period an inventory with a
  proposal concerning the use of these stocks and
  equipment (the EC shall respond within 15 days)
• The HO shall give an account of the actual
  destination of these stocks and equipment with
  documentary proof of any transfer
• In the event of failure to comply with the above
  provisions, relevant costs shall not be eligible
  for funding

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GCHighlights

• Article 8 Evaluation of the operation
• Highlights
• Representatives of the EC shall be invited to
  participate in the main monitoring and evaluation
  missions
• Evaluation missions by representatives of the EC
  shall be object of mutual discussions and shall
  be planned in a collaborative manner by the HO
  staff and EC representatives
• If provided with a resonable deadline, the EC
  will annex the HOs comments to the final report

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GCHighlights

• Article 9 Signature of Agreements
• Highlights
• The EC shall draft the Grant Agreement according
  to the standard format and in conformity with the
  proposal agreed by the EC shall send two signed
  originals (by registered mail) to the HO
• The HO shall notify in writing its acceptance
  within 15 days of receipt, and may not introduce
  changes in the agreement
• The GA shall be considered concluded and shall
  enter into force on the date of reception by the
  EC of one original signed and sent by registered
  letter

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GCHighlights

• Article 10 Amendment of Agreements
• Highlights
• Any modification of agreement shall be set out in
  writing in an amendment and shall be submitted
  one month before the end of the implementation
  period of the agreement 10.1.
• By way of exception, the HO, when the financial
  impact is limited to a transfer within a single
  budget title or a transfer between budget titles
  involving a variation of 15 or less of the
  amount originally entered of total direct costs,
  shall INFORM the EC in writing (modification must
  not affect the general terms of operation)
• In case of change of bank account and use of
  contingency reserve, the HO shall present a duly
  substantiated request
• Any amendment to articles 2 and 3 of the Special
  Conditions shall be subject of a supplementary
  agreement
• In any case the original object of the agreement
  shall not be modified

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GCHighlights

• Article 11 Award of contracts
• Highlights
• Contracting arrangements will be as specified in
  the proposal. The EC will also be informed of
  changes in these arrangements and in any case
  detailed information will be provided in the
  final report
• Procurement of goods, works, or services shall be
  carried out in accordance with rules adopted by
  the EC established in Annex V
• In the event of failure to comply with above
  provisions relevant costs shall NOT be eligible
  for funding

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GCHighlights

• Article 12/13 implementation period, suspension
  and termination of agreement
• Highlights
• The implementation period of the GA shall be as
  set out in article 2.2 of the Special Conditions
• Various causes for suspension and termination of
  the operation are defined
• Time periods regarding these aspects are defined
• Terms are set out in the Provisions and General
  Conditions for the case of advanced termination

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GCHighlights

• Article 14 Disputes
• Highlights
• Parties shall communicate their positions to each
  other in writing
• A Party MUST reply within 30 days
• If an amicable settlement has not been reached
  within 90 days, each Party may notify the other
  that it considers the procedure to have failed
  and take the dispute before the Court of First
  Instance of the EC

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GCHighlights

• Article 15 Eligible costs
• Highlights
• The costs must be NECESSARY, ACTUALLY BEEN
  INCURRED in the implementation period and
  RECORDED in verifible documents
• Eligible costs are
• Staff (salaries and identifiable personnel costs
  at HQ level)
• Expenditure related to constitution of stocks
  shall also be eligible when incurred before the
  date of submission of the proposal
• Travel and subsistence costs for staff
• Purchase costs for equipment (new and old)
• Cost directly arising out of accepting or
  distributing contributions in kind
• Costs of consumables and supplies
• Purchase costs for goods and services
• Expenditure n contracting
• Field office costs that correspond to amount of
  activity attributable to Operation
• Costs deriving from training, evaluation and
  documentation

Financial Provisions
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Art 15 Continued

• Highlights
• Non eligible costs are those standard for EC
  projects, such as
• Purchase of land or buildings
• Taxes, duties (unless the HO is not able to
  reclaim them)
• Currency exchange losses
• Etc.

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Art 15 Continued

• Highlights
• Indirect costs are forfeited (max 7 of total
  direct eligible costs Title 01 Title 02)
• A contingency reserve may be exceptionally
  included in the budget and shall not be higher
  than 5 of the direct eligible costs (Title 01
  Title 02)

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GC Highlights

• Article 16 Payments
• Highlights
• Are defined in articles 5 and 6 of the GA
• Pre-financing shall be set at a level between 50
  and 80 (gt50 in special cases) of the sum
  referred to in Article 3(2) of the Special
  Conditions less contingencies
• The level of pre-financing will be set taking
  into account the past record of the HO, as
  regards timely submission of final report, budget
  execution rate and risk profile
• Payment will be made within 45 days after receipt
  of GA signed by HO
• If interests represent a significant amount they
  shall be reimbursed to the Commission
• The EC will pay the final ammount within 45 days
  after receipt of the final reports and narrative
• If the EC does not deem the report correct or
  complete it shall request additional information
  within a second 45 day period (intital deadline
  shall be suspended)
• The HO may demand interest within two months of
  receiving a late payment by the EC (rate supplied
  by ECB)

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GC Highlights

• Article 17 accounts and financial checks
• Highlights
• The HO shall keep all original documents (in
  exceptional cases certified copies shall be
  allowed)
• The HO agrees that the EC may have an audit to
  verify appropriate use of funds by the HO and
  contractors (ECA and OLAF shall enjoy the same
  rights)

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GC Highlights

• Articles 18/19 final amount of Community
  financing and Recovery
• Highlights
• The total amount to be paid by the EC may not
  exceed the maximum contribution established by
  the Special Conditions
• If co-financed, the of funding will remain
  invariable even in the case of a reduction in
  funding by the other donor
• Financial contribution of the EC may not in any
  circumstance result in a profit for the HO
• Where the operation is not carried out properly,
  in full, the EC may reduce the grant pro-rata
• Where recovery is justified, the HO undertakes to
  repay the EC any amounts paid in excess within 45
  days

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(No Transcript)