Project Document Template

IV.Project Management

Project implementation will be closely coordinated with IFRC, CDEMA, DIPECHO partners and national counterparts. UNDP, IFRC and CDEMA’s coordination and collaboration will be mainstreamed across the project, with specific areas for leadership and support.

UNDP will collaborate in all results areas, with CDEMA leading the development of the EWS checklist, coordinating and supporting integrated EWS in Saint Lucia (R2), leading the national sustainability dialogues (R3) and the final High-level meeting (R4), supporting the expansion of regional toolkit (R1), providing technical support to tool package and the roadmap (R2), and supporting all activities under R4. UNDP and IFRC will work in coordination throughout the project, with IFRC focused on the community component, strengthening their existing tools such as the Community Early Warning Toolkit (R1), providing targeted support and implementing priority actions in Antigua and Barbuda (R2 and R3) and sharing their expertise in Community EWS (R4). They will support the expansion of the online toolkit (R1) and the development of the EWS checklist (R2). Their support in coordination with the IFRC National Societies will ensure that the question of community integration with national EWS architecture is reflected in the solutions package and road map (R2). Regional and national coordination mechanism will be established, in order to ensure effective implementation of the project. UNDP, IFRC and Oxfam-led consortium will coordinate a joint communication strategy for the visibility of the project and handover of the project products (R4).

Cost Efficiency and Effectiveness

The project is expected to deliver maximum results with available resources. It builds on existing tools and previous initiatives in the region; it leverages best practices and lessons learned from previous projects. The project will support the expansion and updating of existing toolkits, giving continuity to past efforts and investments in EWS, and the sharing and adaptation of EWS tools to each country context through transfer of best practices from Cuba and IFRC.

This project will draw on existing networks, infrastructure and experiences of the region in efforts to strengthen capacity for disaster preparedness and risk reduction. It will seek synergies with ongoing initiatives and relevant actors at regional and national level, to ensure cost-efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of the results.

At the regional level, this project maximizes various initiatives for greater effectiveness. This includes the coordination with the Oxfam-led consortium, in addition to capitalizing on and supporting the realization

of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Dominican Republic and CDEMA. The project also seeks synergies with the Caribbean Development Bank (CBD) and the International Development Research Center’s efforts related to EWS infrastructure and communication in Dominica and SVG. Synergies will be promoted with actions related to the 10th European Development Fund Intra-ACP Cooperation Strategy (2008-2013), that aims at reducing the vulnerability to long-term impacts of natural hazards, including the potential impacts of climate change. For example, the project will hold its launch in coordination with the EDF 10 Disaster Risk Reduction event planned in Sept 2017 in Santo Domingo.

The project seeks strengthen its effectiveness supporting regional alignment to the CDM Strategy 2014-2024, and contributing to make the CDM a common approach for saving life and properties in the region for achieving “Resilient Caribbean States”. The project seeks to address the information, knowledge management and learning at all levels (alignment the CDM Priority Area 2), and to address community level vulnerability within the overall framework for DRM (alignment with CDM Priority Area 4).

Coherence with national systems is a characteristic of this project. The proposed actions build on existing early warning architecture, complemented by the experiences of the partner countries to enhance the capacity of national and local actors within the target countries. At the country level, the primary beneficiaries and stakeholders will play an active role throughout the initiative, and synergies will be sought to maximize involvement in analysis and solutions to achieve an integrate EWS. Country level actions will be implemented jointly with the National Systems; existing platforms, such as the Risk Management Forum in the Dominican Republic for national and international NGO community, will facilitate consultation and assessment processes, as well as provide input into road maps. Development partners will participate in the roadmap and national sustainability dialogues, as a critical step to realization of solutions and bridging to institutionalized risk reduction measures, strengthening of governance, and improving community resilience.

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  In Saint Lucia, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines this project supports the work programmes of development partners in concert with the CDM Strategy and the Sendai Framework.
  

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  In Cuba coordination mechanisms will be established with Oxfam, in order to enhance synergies and avoid duplication of efforts. The project will leverage the results and lessons learned from Cuba's “Strengthening Hydro-meteorological EWS in Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus (FORSAT)“ and “Improving groundwater monitoring and control related to drought in Santiago de Cuba” projects, as well as the sub-regional “Strengthening Resilience and Coping capacity in the Caribbean through integrated EWS” project (with Barbados).
  

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  In the Dominican Republic, the project will establish coordination between other initiatives such as "Strengthening of Organizational Structures-Functional Resources for DRM" (Ministry of the Presidency); "School Safety Index, Dominican Republic, ISCERD" (Ministry of Education); with the EWS for drought project implemented by FAO, OXFAM and Plan International; and with Oxfam.
  

Complementarity with other ongoing regional and national actions is key for avoiding duplication of efforts and maximizing cost efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, partnerships with CDEMA, IFRC, and Oxfam, will increase the scope and efficiency of the project.

Project Management

The project will be directly implemented (DIM) by UNDP’s Sustainable Development and Resilience Cluster at the Regional Hub in Panama; the project coordinating team will be based out of the Panama UNDP Regional Hub. The project will be supported by the RBLAC, drawing on the expertise in south-south cooperation, gender, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, in addition to expertise housed in country office disaster and environmental units. Under the supervision of the DRR Unit Caribbean Risk Specialist/Regional DRR Advisor a.i and with the support of the unit Program Associate, the regional project coordination team will include a Project Regional Coordinator, a Regional Assistant and Knowledge Management Coordinator (TBD).

Three UNDP Country Offices will be involved: UNDP Barbados and the OECS, UNDP Cuba and UNDP Dominican Republic. The project will count on the coordination and implementation efforts of the UNDP disaster risk reduction focal point, based out of the respective UNDP Country Office. Each country will address their EWS challenges distinctly, depending on specific priorities. The Country Offices will also help maintain the timelines for national-level deliverables through matrixed supervision of national consultants.

At a regional level, the project assumes the engagement of CDEMA and IFRC as implementing partners of the project. CDEMA will coordinate its activities in strict collaboration with UNDP, IFRC and national authorities, and will hire a Regional Coordinator, based out of the CDEMA office in Barbados. IFRC will coordinate activities with its Red Cross National Societies, in strict collaboration with UNDP, CDEMA and national authorities. IFRC’s activities will be under the leadership of a Project Coordinator, with the support of a Regional Unit Manager, a CADRIM Technical Specialist in CEWS, a Regional Programme Assistant and a Regional Finance Officer. With the exception of the Regional Unit Manager (based in Haiti), all other positions are based in Barbados.

Activities as well as allocated budget for each actor will be outlined in the following agreements, elaborated in accordance with UNDP operational norms: UNDP Country Offices (Country Office Agreement); IFRC (Responsible Party Agreement); and CDEMA (Letter of Agreement).

Each country office and/or partner agency is responsible for adhering to ECHO standards as per eligible direct project costs, as outlined in the agreements. The project intends to cover direct project costs such as personnel (staff, service contracts, individual contracts), consultants, travel, activity implementation and publications. As per ECHO requirements, each country office and/or partner agency is responsible for 15% co-financing. This co-financing is expected to be reflected in direct project costs such as team supervision, financial and administrative support, rent and ITC, and/or project activity costs such as travel, consultants or publications; it applies to regional and national level implementation. Co-financing is subject to an audit, should ECHO determine it to be necessary. In addition, as per ECHO requirement, each partner/CO is responsible for a 20% advance to be reimbursed upon completion and acceptance of the final report.

At the country level, the primary beneficiaries and stakeholders will play an active role throughout the

initiative, and synergies will be sought to maximize involvement in analysis and solutions to achieve an

integrate EWS. Country level actions will be implemented jointly with the National Systems; existing

platforms, such as the Risk Management Forum in the Dominican Republic for national and

international NGO community, will facilitate consultation and assessment processes, as well as provide

input into road maps. Development partners will participate in the roadmap and national sustainability

dialogues, as a critical step to realization of solutions and bridging to institutionalized risk reduction

measures, strengthening of governance, and improving community resilience.

Coordination and knowledge sharing is at the core of this project with direct engagement with the

national organizations identified.

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  In Cuba, activities and proposed technical assistance will be conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Trade (MINCEX), CITMA, EMNDC, INSMET, AMA, and INRH. A focal point in each contributing EWS institution will sit on a technical committee to guide the systematization and the transfer process.
  

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  In the Eastern Caribbean, this proposal was written with direct contributions from national disaster
  

managers and country focal points for UNDP implemented DRR projects. A focal point will be identified in the NDMO which will assist the project team in coordinating in country activities.

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  In the Dominican Republic, this proposal was written with contributions from Civil Defense. Coordination with national and provincial authorities will include CNE, and its coordination bodies, in order to strengthen the solutions and roadmap process in compliance with the Law 147-02 275-13 (National Plan of Integrated Risk Management). Coordination will be conducted with other actors working on EWS, such as with the advisory team on Gender, Age and Protection of the CNE, promoted by the ECHO-funded project "Drought resilience" of the FAO, WFP, Plan International and OXFAM consortium aiming to coordinate actions for the protection, fulfilment of human rights in emergency, in particular for vulnerable groups. Appropriation of project inputs by the national level will be aided by a strategy to involve decision-makers in the solutions and roadmap exercises.
  

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  In all countries, UNDP will provide accompaniment and systematic monitoring of the project's progress, implement a strategy for communication and measure the impact and lessons learned stemming from the interventions.
  

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  At national levels, working with Cuban institutions when relevant, CDEMA and IFRC will support the realization of the solutions packages and roadmaps, providing technical support and promoting implementation of EWS and DRR concrete actions. Collaboration with IFRC and RC NS will aim to further the integration of community levelled EWS into national architecture.
  

The project will bring together humanitarian and development organizations at regional and national

level to increase interactions and collaboration.
The project will be linked to the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). CDEMA will be convening the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Integrated EWS. CDEMA has advanced proposals to the 11 EDF Caribbean Regional Indicative Program which will see resources for Country Direct Fund, a CDEMA

Granting scheme for supporting national EWS Action Plans developed under previous initiatives forEWS. CDEMA has included Integrate EWS as a component in a recent submission for consideration

under the Green Climate Fund. A proposal for access to resources under the Intra-ACP EDF 11

integrated EWS has been developed for consultations among PSs and CARIFORUM Stakeholders.

These initiatives will benefit from the guidance that will be provided through the CDEMA EWS Alliance

for advancing Integrated People Centred EWS within CDEMA PSs. In Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia,

Dominica and SVG this action supports the work programmes of development partners, like CDEMA.

In Cuba coordination mechanisms, will be established with Oxfam, in order to enhance synergies and

avoid duplication of efforts.