6. Transition from contract signing to management of project implementation

Checklist

  • Establish project core files.
  • Provide documentation and briefing to project implementation and support staff.

The project staff responsible for project implementation in an emergency will often be different from those who prepared the proposal. It is important that the project implementation team receives all the necessary background briefing and documentation to ensure effective contractual compliance during implementation.

Core files for each project must be established for all projects to ensure appropriate documentation. These core files are different from working files used by project staff and should be retained in a central location. To set up and maintain core files:

  • Set up both hardcopy and softcopy core files.
  • Ensure the files include the:
    • proposal (narrative and budget) as approved by the donor
    • donor approval letter and signed contract, and general terms and conditions
    • IPIA (note that the relevant PIFA should be retained on a separate file with all other PIFAs signed by the CO)
    • project coding/Chart of accounts
    • donor reports (narrative and financial) as submitted to the donor.
  • Keep the core files separate from the working files used by the project staff.
  • Make copies of the core documents for the project staff rather than have them access these core files directly on a regular basis.
  • Include core project contract management information in the Project Funding/Donor Contract Management Information Matrix (refer to Annex 10.3 Project Pipeline/Contract Management Information Matrix).

Documentation and briefing to project implementation and support staff

  • Share copies of the donor contract, including the final version of the proposal (narrative and budget) and IPIA with appropriate CO staff including:
    • programme/project staff
    • finance staff.
  • Ensure that appropriate project, programme and programme support staff is aware of key requirements as specified by the donor contract and IPIA. For example:
    • The Project Manager should be familiar with all requirements as stipulated in the donor contract and IPIA.
    • Programme/project staff must be aware of the reporting format and due dates, and scheduled CARE International Member monitoring visits.
    • Procurement staff must be aware of donor procurement guidelines if they are stricter than the CO standard procedures.
    • Finance staff must be aware of payment schedule and conditions, financial reporting formats and due dates, audit schedule, and scheduled CARE International Member monitoring visits.
  • Ensure that the finance unit requests/creates the:
    • project number (non Pamodzi) or project ID (for Pamodzi) (and fund code)
    • payment of first tranche
    • project coding/Chart of accounts.
  • As and when appropriate, facilitate a ‘start-up’ meeting during which all appropriate staff (including external partner organisations) can agree on expectations, responsibilities and key roles, deadlines for actions, and other important programme-related accountabilities.

Annex 10.2 Chapter Five-Contract compliance, ‘The Basics of Project Implementation-A Guide for Project Managers’ (November 2007), identifies a number of additional compliance issues to be aware of at this stage and throughout the project cycle.