Early Alert and Response System (EARS):Accelerating implementation through prompt

identification of bottlenecks and facilitating technical support to grants

Duncan Earle, Team LeaderOperational Partnerships and Country Support

January 2007

Background

The Global Fund and its stakeholders recognized the urgent need for an ‘early warning

system’ that would provide several functions:– Identify grants facing challenges early in the grant

cycle– Facilitate the mobilization of effective technical and

managerial support to address challenges – Minimize the potential consequences of poor

implementation and performance

Purpose & Principles

The purpose of EARS:• To identify challenges early and address them to

improve performance• To support the mobilization and coordination of

technical support • To provide prompt information to countries and

partners about challengesUnderlying principles• Country driven process and response• Global Fund finances and does not implement• GF Secretariat works with partners (PR, CCM and

other partners) to help identify challenges to implementation and to mobilize a response

Country/CCM/PR Role

• PRs have the primary responsibility for grant implementation and should recognize and address issues slowing down implementation

• CCMs are responsible for oversight of grants and have the secondary responsibility for identifying challenges, technical assistance needs, and for mobilizing efforts to address the situation

• CCM and PR should work with partners and the GF Secretariat to identify types of technical support needed

The Secretariat’s (and LFA) Role

• Monitor the performance of the portfolio • Work with countries and partners to identify

challenges facing implementation of grants• Assist in the brokerage of support for

challenged grants• Identify and document best practices for

addressing grant challenges• Provide information and assistance to countries

requesting help

Operational Partnerships

• The role of the partners is to identify available resources, technical and financial, to mobilize a response

• Work with the Global Fund and countries to identify needs and coordinate a rapid, quality response

• The Secretariat is further developing its relationships with partners to be able to identify and engage partners, at an earlier stage in the grant

EARS at the Country Level

• M&E Systems need to monitor more than grant indicators and targets• Monitoring of progress against workplans and milestones important to ensuring progress in shorter timeframes • Using process indicators as proxies for monitoring progress in accomplishing steps towards service delivery• Monitoring sub-recipients and sub-sub-recipients progress important to early identification of potential bottlenecks in achieving coverage at district and provincial levels

Challenges

• Unreliable channels of communication• Concerns about stigmatization• Technical assistance requirements often ill-

defined or not recognized in a timely fashion• Resourcing the provision of technical and

managerial assistance– Limited resources available from partners– Reprogramming GF grants is allowable but

challenging due to tight budgets and reluctance of countries to free up grant resources

– Identification of resources to pay for TA often delays response.