SDNPs with UNOPS execution - informal guide

I. Overview

The Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP) is a Global programme which is currently executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). SDNP currently has two active and related projects: firstly, INT/95/G81 which is the umbrella project for SDNP and Capacity 21 countries (total of 19 countries). Funds allocated to this project can only be used for project operations in such countries and activities that have direct impact on national capacity building. Secondly, project GLO/97/216 which is funded by UNDP/BDP Global resources and covers all other SDNP activities, including headquarters operations.

UNOPS execution implies that SDNP is paying overhead costs (called AOS) to UNOPS for all of its operations. It also entails that all moneys used for project implementation must follow UNOPS rules and regulations for fund decentralization from New York. And partly explains the reasons why most SDNP project are not nationally executed (NEX).

II. Procedure for Decentralizing Project Funds

The procedure for getting authorization for fund decentralization can be summarized as follows:

  • UNDP Country Office should send a request to SDNP NY (and NOT to UNOPS) with all necessary information and documents. In the case of personnel recruitment, cvs, TORs (terms of reference), recommended salary and length of contract must be included. The request should be sent in the form of a fax or (better still) as an email message.
  • SDNP NY will promptly revise the request and forward it to UNOPS requesting the decentralization of funds, specifying project number and budget lines to be charged.
  • UNOPS will cable or telex (please note that UNOPS does not send faxes for security reasons) the UNDP CO with adequate authorization including MOD number and budget lines to charge. Offices should be aware that in general MOD only last for the current year and cannot be used for the following year. If all funds in a MOD were not spent within that year, a new MOD will have to be requested from UNOPS for the unspent amounts.

Note that UNOPS does not decentralize funds without adequate documentation and process. Offices should not expect to get a "blank cheque" from UNOPS for project implementation as this is not considered viable by UNOPS (nor the auditors!). Also, a UNDP project document for each national project is required before any funds can be decentralized for project implementation.

III. Fund Decentralization and Workplans

In order to avoid multiple requests for decentralizing all sorts of items in the project, it is recommended that SDNP project managers elaborate a annual or bi-annual workplan and quantify for each activity and output the amounts they are planning to use in the given period of time. The bi-annual or annual workplan should be submitted to the local UNDP office for approval (if needed the CO should also forward the workplan to SDNP NY for review).

Once the workplan is approved the UNDP CO can then send ONE request for all the items in the workplan in the manner described above and enclosed the workplan. In this way, only ONE requests will have to be made per semester or year. It is recommended that SDNP workplans are done on a bi-annual basis, given the quick changes that the technology and the situation in most countries are undergoing.

Note that there is no ONE single UNDP standard or format for elaborating project workplans. But most offices do offer some basic guidelines. If this is not the case please contact SDNP and you will be provided with "boilerplate" workplan formats.

IV. Projects with additional local and/or international resources

In most countries, and following the principles and recommendations of SDNP, additional national (TRAC, cost-sharing) or international moneys may and should complement SDNPs catalytic funding. In most cases such funds will not be managed by UNOPS They will probably be nationally executed (NEX) by a local organization or institution.

In these cases where one component of the overall project/budget is NEX and the other is executed by UNOPS, the following procedures do apply:

  • Each project component, NEX and UNOPS, will have separate budgets and will be administered in accordance to their own rules and regulations. Usually, NEX projects are executed by the government (even though UNDP just enabled NGO execution which should be seriously considered by local offices).
  • NEX projects using TRAC funds or related will need to be approved and signed by the national counterpart (usually a government ministry or institution). A signed UNDP PRODOC is needed to start fund utilization.
  • SDNP GLOBAL funds included in the same project also required a UNDP PRODOC approved by SDNP New York, and signed by the Resident Representative (on behalf of SDNP) and its national counterpart in the country office.
  • In these cases, it should not be necessary to write two separate FULL UNDP PRODOCS, one for each component of the project (NEX and UNOPS/SDNP). The prodocs can be indentical and should include a detailed budget (following UNDP budget categories) and specifying who is executing each component of the budget. In the case of SDNP global funds, the execution should explicitly mention UNOPS. The NEX budget items should mention the national conterpart executing the project (GOV or NGO).
  • SDNP funds will be disburse following UNOPS requirements described above (sections II and III).

There are variations to the above which COs can implement. The only condition is that all of the above conditions still hold in any case.

__________________________________________________________

Raul Zambrano email: raul@sdnp.undp.org IT

Specialist SDNP/ phone: 212-906-6654

United Nations Development Programme New York

fax: 212-906-6952


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