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[Information on this page relates
to the first phase of the PACS
Programme, which ended in April
2008].
The PACS Programme is managed in
a rigorous yet dynamic way. While
accountability is maintained at
all levels, the programme leaves
space for new strategies and priority
areas.
The programme is managed by Management
Consultants , who are guided
by a National
Advisory Board and assisted
by several Resource
Organisations (ROs). A system
has been set up for monitoring
and evaluation.
Management
Consultants (MC)
The PACS Programme is managed by
a consortium of two reputed organisations:
- Development
Alternatives, a 25-year-old
internationally recognised and
diversified development agency
headquartered in New Delhi.
This consortium of management consultants
(MC) is directly accountable to
the programme's sponsors, the UK
government's Department For International
Development (DFID). The MC submits
quarterly and annual reports on
the progress of the PACS Programme
to DFID, and is in constant touch
with DFID's India office.
The MC is also guided by a National
Board of Advisors (NAB) comprising
12 members representing a wide cross-section
of Indian civil society, academia,
the private sector and government.
Within a policy framework defined
by the NAB, a project selection
committee has been set up to appraise
and approve project proposals put
forward by CSOs.
The MC has a full-time team dedicated
to the PACS Programme.
Roles of the MC
The MC plays several key roles:
- Initiator
The MC seeks project proposals
in a proactive way. Apart from
disseminating information about
the PACS Programme through various
media, the MC organises workshops
in backward areas to promote the
programme, encourage the formulation
of proposals and enable the networking
of CSOs.
- Strategist
The MC helps participating CSOs
align their strategies and take
up pressing local or regional
issues within the programme's
framework. The MC also tries to
create alliances of CSOs to tackle
key issues that fall within the
programme's framework.
The MC is also involved in conceptualising
alternative strategies to achieve
the programme's objectives in
a sustainable manner over the
long-term.
- Manager
In consultation with the NAB,
the MC lays down and implements
policies, procedures and systems
to manage all aspects of the programme,
from the selection of projects
to the evaluation of progress
and sharing of learning. The MC
also manages the flow of funds
from DFID to the CSOs.
As the nodal point of all participating
CSOs, the MC responds to their
demands and takes necessary steps
to improve the overall efficiency
of the programme.
The MC submits regular reports
to DFID on the progress of the
programme, and steps taken to
improve its efficiency.
- Supportive supervisors
The MC helps improve the knowledge
and capacity of participating
CSOs in specific areas such as
advocacy and effective use of
communications by organising workshops,
seminars and training events.
The MC regularly reviews the performance
of the CSOs through quarterly,
state-wise peer review workshops
and other mechanisms.
- Communicator
The MC has evolved strategies
and appointed professional agencies
to ensure that all key learning
from the PACS Programme is communicated
effectively to a large audience,
including participating local
communities and CSOs, international
and national policy-makers, the
media, other interested CSOs and
development agencies, and the
public at large.
The MC regularly monitors and
guides the implementation of the
programme's communication strategies.
Role of
resource organisations
To effectively manage a large programme
spread over a wide geographical
area, the MC has appointed several
reputed resource
organisations (ROs) at the state
and national level.
The tasks done by ROs include:
- Helping CSOs in proposal development.
- Carrying out supportive supervision.
- Developing communication strategies.
- Providing process documentation.
- Preparing strategy papers.
- Analysing proposals.
Monitoring
and evaluation
To improve the programme's efficiency
and ensure sharing of knowledge
and learning between participating
CSOs and other interested agencies
in a timely and effective manner,
the MC has appointed an RO to set
up and run an information-technology-based
monitoring, evaluation
and learning (MEAL) system.
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