QUARTERLY REPORT #2
Transcript of QUARTERLY REPORT #2
DISCLAIMER: This report is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of Cardno Emerging Markets USA Ltd. and do not necessarily
reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
QUARTERLY REPORT #2:
NOVEMBER 11 2020 – FEBRUARY 10, 2021
USAID Kosovo Compete Activity
QUARTERLY REPORT #2:
NOVEMBER 11 2020 – FEBRUARY 10, 2021
USAID Kosovo Compete Activity
SUBMITTED BY:
CARDNO EMERGING MARKETS USA, LTD.
SUBMITTED TO:
USAID MISSION IN KOSOVO
CONTRACT NO.:
72016720C00001
USAID ACTIVITY OFFICE:
ECONOMIC GROWTH OFFICE
USAID COR:
FLORA ARIFI
SUBMISSION DATE:
FEBRUARY 26, 2021 DISCLAIMER The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for Interna tional Development or the United States Government.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Outline of project purpose and project approach ............................................................. 3
DESCRIPTION OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD ............. 4
SECTOR ACTION PLANS ............................................................................................................................ 4
STATUS OF ACTIVITIES AND TASKS AS DEFINED IN THE WORK PLAN ........................... 6
STATUS OF OVERALL PROJECT PROGRESS PER IMPACT INDICATORS AS DEFINED
IN THE WORK PLAN AND THE MELP ............................................................................................ 7
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADAPTATION AND CLA ......................................................................... 8
LIST OF REPORTS/DELIVERABLES COMPLETED IN THE REPORTING PERIOD .......... 10
PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD .................................... 10
STATUS OF BUDGET EXPENDITURES ......................................................................................... 10
LIST OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING
INDICATORS AND ASSOCIATED TARGETS ............................................................................... 10
ANY RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT HAS AFFECTED OR WILL AFFECT PROJECT
PROGRESS .............................................................................................................................................. 12
ANNEX 1: STATUS OF ACTIVITIES IN THE WORK PLAN FOR THE FIRST FOUR
MONTHS ................................................................................................................................................. 13
ANNEX 2: COMPETE WORK PLAN TIMELINE ......................................................................... 17
ANEX 3: STAFFING PLAN ................................................................................................................... 21
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 3
OUTLINE OF PROJECT PURPOSE AND PROJECT APPROACH
USAID/Kosovo Compete Activity (hereinafter “Compete” or “Activity”) is a five-year activity that began
on August 11, 2020. The purpose of Compete is to promote resilient, self-sustaining market systems, and
to facilitate the private sector’s improved competitiveness in local, regional, and global markets. The
Activity utilizes a market system approach aligned with USAID’s Private Sector Engagement Policy. The
Activity focuses on three key export-oriented sectors (Information and Communications Technologies
(ICT), Wood Processing, and Food Processing) to sustainably increase competitiveness. By working to
address constraints across the system, the Activity enables scalable and systemic change to occur,
stimulating job creation and increased private sector ability to engage in local, regional, and international
markets. The expected results of the Activity across all three sectors are: 1) market systems are
strengthened to increase sector competitiveness; and 2) market actors within those market systems are
more productive and competitive.
The critical aspects of successful implementation of a market system development (MSD) approach are a
thorough initial understanding of how the sector functions, and its underlying power structures and
incentives; a process to ensure ongoing situational awareness and adaptation to adjust to changes in the
marketplace; and the engagement—participation and collaboration—of private sector stakeholders
(particularly firms who are leaders for their respective products and services). While activities will focus
on alleviating common constraints, Compete will structure them to stimulate private sector engagement
to the largest extent possible through transparent sharing of information and ongoing communication.
USAID’s Compete Activity will facilitate activities aimed at its focus sectors, finding ways to stimulate
stakeholders (private sector engagement) to design and implement them, supported by an adaptive system
of project management (being able to tailor activities and resources to changing market dynamics and new
information). The majority of the activities will be designed as pilots, allowing the freedom to fail and learn,
and testing the potential for scale-up as successes are achieved and interest develops—resulting in broader
impact, more systemic change, and enhanced problem-solving capabilities by firms, organizations, and
Government of Kosovo (GoK) counterparts.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 4
DESCRIPTION OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
During the second quarter, Compete focused on tasks and activities following the initial workplan of the
activity. After the approval of the Market Systems and Constraints Analyses, the team started with internal
meetings to begin developing sector action plans by identifying areas of interventions based on pre-
identified constraints. These interventions were formulated with the market systems and development
approach. The sector action planning process was done in close cooperation and discussions with external
partners on the feasibility of key interventions. During this period our team also worked on updating
the sector assessments by collecting additional data.
On November 20, 2020, Compete participated
and supported the two-day event "Diaspora Flet"
organized by GERMIN (https://diasporaflet.org)
Compete was invited by conference organizers to
lead a panel session on the topic of “Local
Investments and Market Linkages.” The Compete
Chief of Party (COP) and Sector Leads were
present together with three businesses that have
business relationships with diaspora, to discuss the
challenges and opportunities of diaspora
investment and market linkages.
SECTOR ACTION PLANS
Compete laid the foundation for developing the Sector Action Plans by initially conducting a
comprehensive assessment of the market system of each of its focus sectors. Specifically, during the period
September – December 2020, it identified system-level constraints in the market systems of the wood
processing, ICT, and food processing sectors. The results of the analysis were captured in the Market
System Constraints Analysis (MSCA) assessment submitted in November 2020 and subsequently finalized
in December 2020.
During the identification of market system constraints in each of the three respective focus sectors, it
became evident that several constraints were common to all three industries. Of the common constraints
identified, the most pronounced are:
Limited Market Access: In all three sectors, there is insufficient reliance on sales agents as a tool to
penetrate export markets. Relatedly, export promotion capacity within companies is limited. There is also
restricted transportation access especially for wood and food processing sectors, having to rely on
regional transportation and logistics companies. In the ICT sector, there is a lack of branding and
positioning of Kosovo as an attractive ICT location.
Limited Diversified Finance: The inadequacy of financial products available to Kosovar firms is a
common constraint that affects all three market systems. The financial sector in Kosovo is oriented toward
consumer banking and real estate finance, with insufficient attention paid to the needs of producers,
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 5
processors, and service providers. The lack of contract-based financing is a particularly significant constraint,
as it forces wood and food processors and ICT firms to draw on their existing assets for the working
capital they need to meet new orders for their products and services. All actors in these markets
desperately need more responsive financial partners who have the freedom and risk tolerance to offer
more appropriate and responsive financial products.
Limited Business Sophistication: Wood processors and food processors show similar characteristics
and face similar challenges. Principally, they tend to have rudimentary business models: family-run
management with limited capacity for the challenging task of accessing and sustaining linkages with export
markets. They also tend to underinvest in digital business solutions that boost productivity, and relatively
few of them possess the international certifications required by many international trading partners. Only
a handful of companies in all three sectors have adopted sound corporate governance systems. Business
sophistication also remains a challenge for many companies it the ICT sector, especially with limited
middle-management resources.
Limited Skills Development: The dysfunctional workforce development system is a clear constraint
that inhibits the growth of all three market systems (indeed, the entire national economy). From primary
education through secondary VET and gymnasium instruction, up to 5th level schools and public and
private universities, the workforce development system operates within the confines of an outdated
system that prevents a searching private sector from finding useful employees. As a result, actors in the
core market of each of the three sectors look for creative ways to train, certify, and retain skilled staff
members. Many have started private training efforts in the last few years. Proposed interventions related to
this constraint are found under the Skills Development functional area.
Limited Supporting Business Environment: An unresponsive set of government ministries and
agencies (with a few exceptions) means that actors in all three market systems have difficulty addressing
important enabling environment issues. These include tax reimbursements, customs procedures, industry
promotion and representation abroad, accreditation of private training initiatives, and anything else that
touches on a function that should be played by government actors. A form of competitive clientelism
focused on entrenching interest groups within government appears to characterize significant portions of
state governance in Kosovo. This comes at the expense of building the kind of policy-focused, innovative,
and responsive governance a small economy like Kosovo needs.
Relatedly, a common constraint that holds back the growth of all three market systems is
the underperformance of the associations that represent the interests of these industries. To varying degrees
of severity, these associations have two prevailing characteristics:
• They represent a fraction of the overall number of firms in their industries. They have either not
persuasively argued their value proposition to a majority of would-be members, or their interest
extends only to a small group of favored businesses.
• They are largely dependent on donor funds and have yet to build the base of membership dues,
fees, and other revenue that will allow them to sustain their work in the future.
Each association faces unique challenges – for example, the ICT sector association, STIKK, struggles to
produce an accurate picture of the ICT sector each year, resulting in limited availability of information
concerning the market system that traffics in information technology.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 6
However, the vision for all of the associations is the same. In order to foster a thriving, outward-facing,
market system that can grow and compete in global markets, associations in all three market systems will
need to dramatically improve their outreach to businesses, their commercial viability, and their capacity
to provide valuable information and market linkages.
Compete used following methodology to develop the Sector Action Plans:
Updated Sector Assessments. Compete built on prior analyses it submitted during the proposal stage
for Sector Assessments. It validated key sector and industry data with industry associations. Furthermore,
it collected updated data on exports and other statistics using the latest available information from Kosovo
Customs and other sources. Compete also interviewed select industry stakeholders in each of the sectors
to obtain insights on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding the generally challenging
and persistent data gaps, the updated Sector Assessments (submitted as a separate deliverable) serve as
an important snapshot of the situation prior to commencement of Compete’s interventions.
Internal action planning using “results chains.” Compete’s team used the findings of the MSCA and
insights from Sector Assessments to begin drafting interventions. Compete’s technical team (comprised
of Sector Leads, Functional Area Experts, and Cross-Cutting Experts) guided by the Activity’s
management, set up internal working groups by sector to draft interventions responding to the findings
of the MSCA. Compete’s team relied on “results chains,” a tool that allowed the team to map out causal
links between proposed interventions, outputs, outcomes, and impacts. Results chains for each
intervention were developed to unpack the “theory of change” assumptions behind each intervention.
Validation with stakeholders. Following several iterations of intervention plans during December 2020
and January 2021, Compete met with stakeholders to discuss the feasibility of specific interventions.
Compete also met numerous stakeholders during the MSCA phase, where potential interventions were
also discussed. Nevertheless, there is a need for a wider set of consultations with an expanded group of
stakeholders once the Action Plans are approved by USAID (in accordance with the circumstances
surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic).
Setting performance targets. In parallel with the drafting of Sector Action Plans, Compete developed its
Activity Monitoring, Evaluation and Leaning Plan (MELP). Considering the findings of the Sector
Assessments on available sector-level statistics and data, the identified market level constraints in the
MSCA, and the proposed interventions, Compete drafted a list of key performance indicators to measure
the effects of the activity’s interventions. Further working sessions within the technical team led to the
setting of annual and end of project targets for the five-year period. The proposed targets derive from the
expected impact of Compete’s proposed interventions.
STATUS OF ACTIVITIES AND TASKS AS DEFINED IN THE WORK PLAN
The following is a short description of each planned activity, whereas details are presented in Annex 1 of
this report.
• Market System and Constraints Analysis (MSCA) - COMPLETED – In accordance with the terms
of the contract, Compete submitted the first draft of Market Systems and Constraints Analyses
on October 26, 2020. Following revisions in response to USAID feedback, the final MSCA was
accepted by USAID on December 7, 2020.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 7
• Sector Assessment and Action Plans - COMPLETED – In accordance with the contract,
Compete submitted its Sector Assessment and Sector Action Plans on January 22, 2021.
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan – COMPLETED – In accordance with the
contract, the first draft of MELP was finalized and submitted to USAID on January 21, 2021.
Compete is incorporating comments and suggestions received, as well as final USAID Mission PMP
indicators, to produce a revised version of the MELP. The final version of the MELP will be
submitted to USAID alongside the Year 1 Annual Work Plan.
• Operational – IN PROGRESS – The office is set up and fully operational. Most of the staff are
hired, except for: Driver/Assistant, and Grants and Subcontract Assistant. From March 1, 2021, a
new Finance Manager will join the team.
• Branding and Marking Plan – COMPLETED – Compete submitted its Branding and Marking
Plan to USAID for approval on October 5, 2020. USAID approved the Branding and Marking Plan
on October 8, 2020. A revised version of the plan was submitted this quarter to change the name
of the Activity from “Export-Led Growth” to “Compete.”
• Grants Manual and Procurement Manual – COMPLETED – In accordance with the Activity
contract, Compete submitted its Grants Manual to the USAID CO for review and approval on
November 10, 2020. USAID approved the proposed Grants Manual on January 6, 2021.
STATUS OF OVERALL PROJECT PROGRESS PER IMPACT INDICATORS AS
DEFINED IN THE WORK PLAN AND THE MELP
As can be seen in the section above, Compete met all its project objectives for this quarter.
In accordance with the contract, the first draft of MELP was finalized and submitted to the USAID on
January 21, 2021. Moreover, comments and suggestions received, as well as final USAID Mission PMP
indicators, are being considered for the revised version of the MELP, which will be submitted alongside
the Year 1 Annual Work Plan.
The Activity has two main sub-purposes aligned with USAID/Kosovo CDCS Development Objective (DO)
2 and its Intermediate Results (IRs); these sub-purposes are:
• Sub-Purpose 1: Improve private sector competitiveness by strengthening market linkages (linked
to IR 2.2.1 Market Linkages Strengthened)
• Sub-Purpose 2: Improve private sector competitiveness by increasing quality and quantity of high
demand goods and services in three sectors (linked to IR 2.2.2 Quantity and Quality of High
demand goods and services increased).
To measure and report on the achievement of the Compete Activity results statement, 14 indicators were
designed and described with the MELP. Of these indicators:
• A total of three (3) are linked with Compete Activity contract required indicators; and
• A total of eleven (11) are Compete Activity custom indicators.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 8
In addition, the MELP defined and elaborated on data collection methods to be utilized by the Activity. A
well-designed and comprehensive MELP enables rigorous monitoring and evaluation, providing activity and
Mission management with the evidence needed to learn, refine, and introduce improvements over the
course of the Compete Activity. Tracking the key performance indicators used in measuring activity
progress is a fundamental task of the activity’s monitoring and evaluation effort. Data collection methods
are defined within the AMELP and data will be collected via 1) Activity Records; 2) Annual Survey; 3)
Monitoring Sheets; and 4) Stakeholders Feedback. Data will be validated with secondary data gathered
from Kosovo Customs, Statistical Office of Kosovo, and Central Bank of Kosovo. In addition, for every
result reported by partners/beneficiaries, a document will be required (contract, e-mail). Data will be
collected via the following methods: face-to-face, telephone, and online. During the pandemic, data is going
to be collected online either via e-mails or virtual interviews.
Apart from performance indicators and data collection methods, the Compete Activity formulated targets
that realistically capture the assumptions and limitations of the systems the activity is working in. Targets
were developed using available baseline data and information gathered and analyzed from the MSCA,
Internal Team Assumptions, and Compete Action Plan. An internal team workshop was organized and
facilitated to come up with realistic annual targets and end of project targets.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning tasks are embedded within all Compete Activity technical staff roles.
Details of the MEL responsibilities within each Compete Activity position were defined and included within
the MELP.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADAPTATION AND CLA
The Activity is currently in its Inception phase and envisions to have opportunities for adaptation and CLA
once the Implementation phase begins, following USAID’s approval of the Action Plans and Year 1 Annual
Work Plan.
The CLA component will ultimately attempt to improve organizational practices and business processes
while boosting staff capacity for learning and adaptation. The design and selection of the activity
performance indicators is such that each indicator captures a unique set of conditions in the linkages of
the activity’s theory of change. The CLA plan intends to test critical assumptions continually with emergent
and existing data and evidence through regular review of activity data.
Cardno recognizes the utility of purposeful learning to coordinate efforts, make course corrections, and
ultimately ensure effective development implementation based on lessons learned. In doing so, the
Compete Activity has identified a number of ways through which staff will systematically and deliberately
promote learning both inside and outside of the Activity. The Learning Plan reinforces and enhances
overall efforts throughout the Compete Activity implementation cycle and foundation for performance
management. This plan outlines how the Compete Activity team will:
• Collaborate. Coordinate activities to increase synergy and reduce duplication of effort. Work
and support others where it makes sense and when needed.
• Learn. Draw on a wide range of knowledge sources and perspectives. Test our approaches and
methodologies. Share learning about what has a positive impact and what does not. Use
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 9
development methodologies and collective intelligence that catalyze learning for partners,
stakeholders, and counterparts.
• Adapt. Based on our learning/lessons learned, make iterative data driven intervention
adjustments to improve overall effectiveness.
Quarterly Reviews: While learning takes place constantly, periodic internal reviews are often the main
opportunity for market systems projects to take stock of learning and make strategic and tactical pivots
to program design. Compete will use quarterly reviews to provide a structured format for discussing the
progress of individual interventions, changes in program context, and other relevant information, then
adapt results chains accordingly. In the periods between quarterly reviews, results chains will be fixed,
with changes reserved for quarterly reflection periods. Quarterly Reviews take place during the quarterly
review meetings. The management team jointly reviews progress made towards and through interventions
at the portfolio level, examining both initial hypotheses and resources allocated. As a result of the review
meeting, the work plan document is appropriately adjusted, as needed. This will allow Compete to meet
the need to be adaptive with the need to be rigorous and accountable.
After-Action Reviews. For larger interventions, After-Action Reviews will provide additional input,
generating information based on staff observations captured during after-action review meetings held
shortly after delivery. These structured review meetings will focus on activities and impact and consider
operational and process effectiveness and efficiency. The After-Action Reviews will result in short reports
that will be included in Intervention Monitoring and also be made available to teams for future re-use.
Data Collection through Complexity Aware Monitoring: The Compete Activity will utilize a
USAID Complexity Aware Monitoring approach, specifically stakeholder feedback and outcome
harvesting, to collect data on the effectiveness and impact of networks and other aspects of the activity.
Compete will take full advantage of the annual work planning process to make necessary adjustments.
Throughout the year, learning will take place through several ways: weekly staff meetings, weekly reports
(both from the field and those submitted to USAID), quarterly reviews, field observations, annual surveys,
shareholder feedback, after action reviews, and annual planning workshops. The latter will be organized
at multiple levels. In the field, the project will organize focus group discussions and in-depth interviews
with beneficiaries, non-beneficiaries, and other stakeholders, where the project’s progress and
shortcomings will be assessed. This will then directly influence the following year’s work plan and the key
lessons learned to be highlighted in the annual progress report. Therefore, the project will continue a
participatory approach to capture perspectives and information, creating spaces for discussions,
brainstorming, and dialogue, and adapting the project’s interventions accordingly.
Learning Events: The Compete Activity will go beyond regular review and reporting of the MELP
performance data, to conduct periodic learning events annually. These will include the following:
• Collaboration, Learning and Adaptation (CLA) events: In anticipation of USAID/Kosovo’s annual
portfolio review (specifically in anticipation of the Mission’s own annual reporting) and the
activity’s annual work-plan submissions, the Compete Activity team will bring together staff, local
research firms, partners, key stakeholders, and counterparts to discuss what has been working,
what hasn’t been working, what have been the constraints to achieving results, and what have
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 10
been the catalysts to achieving results. These events will be focused on the activity data and could
be organized around critical assumptions and risks or other relevant themes.
• Other USAID/Kosovo M&E Activity reviews: The Compete Activity will work with other relevant
USAID activities to review their approaches and methodologies for M&E, including the use of
external source data and information to triangulate relevant performance data, to collaborate
leverage learning through other programming efforts.
LIST OF REPORTS/DELIVERABLES COMPLETED IN THE REPORTING PERIOD
1. Market Systems and Constraints Analyses – Approved by USAID on December 7, 2020
2. Summary of Market Systems and Constraints Analyses – submitted on January 11, 2021
3. Monitoring and Evaluation Plan – Submitted on January 21, 2021
4. Sector Assessments – Submitted on January 21, 2021
5. Sectors Action Plans – Submitted January 21, 2021
6. Weekly Updates – During this period Compete submitted 14 Weekly Updates.
PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD
While there were no major problems during this reporting period, COVID-19 pandemic-related
restrictions, as expected, have remained a prominent feature, although they did not have any discernable
major impact on the overall performance of the Activity.
STATUS OF BUDGET EXPENDITURES
The status of current budget expenditures is presented below:
LIST OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING
INDICATORS AND ASSOCIATED TARGETS
The Compete Year 1 Annual Work Plan will contain the full set of activities, indicators, and targets for
the next quarter and the duration of the project year. Pending approval of the work plan, major activities
for the third quarter will tentatively include the following.
MARKET ACESS
• Support expansion of diaspora-led sales channels in key regional and European export markets.
• Support partnerships to facilitate transfer of diaspora know-how to improve export links and
competitiveness.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 11
• Assess partnership potential with Germin and G7 to support women owned businesses through
mentorship program with diaspora women (Women Connect to Grow Program).
• Identify diaspora middleman(s)/agents/influencers/other diaspora know-how through various
partners and channels (including Germin
• Support establishment of an Export Portal to provide relevant market intelligence and business
advisory services on export.
DIVERSIFIED FINANCE
• Pilot and establish the Export Financing Facility at the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund (KCGF).
• Support key actors to hold roundtable discussion(s) to explore potential and willingness to
diversify financial products, with emphasis on export financing.
• Facilitate the emergence of adapted leasing products.
• Facilitate diaspora investments in export-focused business activities.
• Support key actors to hold awareness-raising roundtable discussions on the importance of
investment readiness.
BUSINESS SOPHISTICATION
• Support the establishment of the Business Transparency Portal (BTP).
• Identify and select anchor/host entity to develop/further refine and host/own/operate the Business
Transparency Portal (initial proposals will be reviewed through the APS window; further RFA may
be issued in case of inadequate proposals).
• Promote business management change based on corporate governance and corporate
management principles.
• Facilitate provision of support to companies on critical certifications linked to export
competitiveness.
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
• Facilitate and support private-led initiatives to improve availability of industry-relevant VET
training.
• Conduct a roundtable discussion with relevant stakeholders to discuss the establishment and
consolidation of VET Training Center in wood sector, its operation challenges and discuss viable
financing modalities.
• Support AWPK/wood processing companies to promote careers in wood processing among
women and youth (9th graders, VET and gymnasium student
• Agree with USAID ASSET Activity on joint activities to promote wood sector professions among
gymnasium students.
SUPPORTING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
• Support consolidation of commercial diplomacy functions in key Kosovo embassies in support of
export penetration.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 12
• Provide support to the updating of the Kosovo National IT Strategy
ANY RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT HAS AFFECTED OR WILL AFFECT
PROJECT PROGRESS
Currently, the Activity is on target to complete the Inception phase in the next quarter and move into
the Activity Implementation. As mentioned earlier in the report, the COVID-19 situation in Kosovo has
been worsening over the last few weeks, which presents a risk to the Activity in the event that a significant
number of Compete staff and/or major stakeholders become ill and are unable to contribute to the
Activity Implementation.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 13
ANNEX 1: STATUS OF ACTIVITIES IN THE WORK PLAN FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS
GREEN represents activity completed on time, no issues
YELLOW represents activity is in progress, no issues or major issues anticipated
RED – Represents issues with planned activity
Task Area Activities Period Deliverables/Outputs/Expected Results Status
I. Technical Activities
1. Market System
and Constraints
Analysis
1.1 Prepare methodology and scope
of work to conduct analysis
August 2020-
September 10, 2020
• Methodology identified and agreed upon
with USAID
• COMPLETED
1.2 Select Sector Lead staff and
functional expert (combination of ST
and LT) to complete the analysis
August 2020-September
18, 2020
• All three sector leads identified and hired
• Functional experts identified and
contracted
• COMPLETED
1.3 Identify external stakeholders
needed for the analysis and
develop questionnaires for
interviews
August 2020-
September 14, 2020
• Questionnaires for interviews developed
and tailored according to sector need
• List of stakeholders for each sector
prepared
• COMPLETED
1.4 Conduct stakeholder interviews
Sector Associations
Financial Institutions
Private Sector Firms
GoK
Donor Partners
September 15-
September 25, 2020
• Conduct interviews within each sector
with key stakeholders
• Interview findings documented
• COMPLETED
1.5 Conduct workshops:
Basic mapping of food
processing, ICT, and Wood
sector completed
Related activities of GoK and
Donor projects identified
September 25-October
2, 2020
• Workshops completed and information
gathered to begin drafting of the Market
Systems and Constraints Analysis
• COMPLETED
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 14
Task Area Activities Period Deliverables/Outputs/Expected Results Status
1.6 Draft Market System and
Constraints Analysis
October 2-October 11,
2020
• Draft analysis prepared and ready for
comments from partners
• COMPLETED
1.7 Final Market System and
Constraints Analysis is prepared and
submitted to USAID
October 11, 2020 • Deliverable submitted to USAID 75 days
after contract award
• COMPLETED
2. Sector
Assessment and
Action Plans
2.1 Mobilize assessment team and
prepare assessment task and
tools/templates
October 2020 • Sector Team Leads engaged and
responsibilities reviewed. Interview
templates and report outline reviewed
as a team.
• Tools for the assessment identified
and prepared
• COMPLETED
2.2. Conduct baseline assessment
Plan meetings with
partners/stakeholders
Collect and record baseline
data, further stakeholder
interviews
In-depth analysis and mapping
of focus sub-sectors
October – November
2020
• Current baseline and upgrading
targets of each sector identified
• IN PROGRESS –
2.3 Draft Sector Assessment November 2020 • Draft sector assessment prepared
including feasibility of sustainability,
and replication of project activities
• COMPLETED – Draft Submitted on
January 21, 2021
2.4 Sector Action Plan Workshops
USAID
Key Stakeholders
Compete Staff
Subcontractors
November 2020 • Brainstorming workshops held with
USAID and key stakeholders to
identify tangible activities for each
sector.
• COMPLETED – Draft submitted on
January 21, 2021
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 15
Task Area Activities Period Deliverables/Outputs/Expected Results Status
2.5. Draft activities defined and
reviewed
November 2020 • Workshop information gathered and
collated and list of draft activities
identified
• COMPLETED
2.6 Meetings to review and finalize
recommendations
November 2020 • Second round of
workshops/discussions to refine the
identified activities
• COMPLETED
2.7 Final Sector Assessment and
Action Plans developed
45 days after the official
acceptance of the
Market Systems and
Constraints Analysis)
• Final sector assessment and action
plans submitted to USAID for approval
• IN PROGRESS – to be submitted by
February 26, 2021
3. Market Systems
Development
Training
3.1 Four workshop sessions on MSD
conducted online.
3.2 Individual and group work with
the team on drafting the Intervention
Result Chains
October – November
2020
• Training in key MSD features delivered
to the Compete Team
• 67 Result Chains drafted with the team
as an exercise of using the MSD tools
• COMPLETED
• 25 Intervention Result Chains to be
reviewed, and 12 new result chains to
be designed with the team in 2021
4. Monitoring,
Evaluation and
Learning Plan
4.1 Develop and draft MELP October-November
2020
• Key indicators identified/selected
• Cumulative targets established
• MELP submitted and approved
• COMPLETED – Submitted on January
21, 2021
4.2 Customize and Install MELP
system
October-November
2020
• Monitoring platform established and in
use
• IN PROGRESS – Revised MELP to be
submitted on February 26, 2021
II. General and Administrative Activities
1. Operational 1.1 Identify and hire immediate
technical and operational staff
needed
August- September
2020
• Immediately needed technical and
operational team onboarded
• COMPLETED
1.2 Establish Compete office August-October 2020 • Office fully operational • COMPLETED – At the end of this
reporting period, we had to close due
to a few staff testing positive for
COVID-19
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 16
Task Area Activities Period Deliverables/Outputs/Expected Results Status
1.3 Institute operational and financial
policies and procedures
August- September
2020
• Policies governing HR, Financial
Management, Procurements and
Reporting established
• COMPLETED
2. Branding and
Marking Plan
2.1 Draft Branding and Marking plan August-September 15,
2020
• Submit B&P to USAID and provide
feedback on DOC comments as
required
• COMPLETED
3. Grants Manual
and Procurement
Manual
3.1 Prepare Grants manual September-October
2020
• Grants Manual submitted and approved • COMPLETED
3.2 Prepare Operations and
Procurement manual for subcontracts
September-October
2020
• Operations Manual submitted and
approved
• COMPLETED
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 17
ANNEX 2: COMPETE WORK PLAN TIMELINE
GREEN represents activity completed on time, no issues YELLOW represents activity is in progress, no issues or major issues anticipated
RED – Represents issues with planned activity
Calendar Weeks
Key Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
US-Based Project Administration
Contract Signed
Hold kick off meeting with home office staff
Confirm Corporate Registration Status and Local Bank
Accounts
Hold kick off meeting with sub-contractor partners
Hold kick off meeting with USAID
Initiate contact with COR
Execute contract and POAs with COP
Recruitment
Job descriptions drafted and advertised for positions
anticipated to begin September 2020
Review applications and shortlist candidates for interview
Interview shortlisted candidates
Execute contract and POAs with DCOP
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 18
Calendar Weeks
Key Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
Finalize candidate selection for key positions beginning
in September 2020 and submit approvals to USAID
All key positions for September 2020 are selected and
approved.
Milestone: Sector Leads, Functional Experts, MEL
Manager, Strategic Communications, Gender and
Youth Manager, Minorities and Inclusion Manager,
Operations and Finance Director, and Finance
Manager identified and onboarded by end of Week 6
COMMENT: Due to a high number of applications
and interviews, the hiring process took longer than
planned. Three additional weeks were needed to
hire all staff that were listed in this task. The yellow
color represents the difference from the original
planned execution of the activity.
Office Set-Up
Compete shortlist final office options and negotiate price
and lease options
Milestone: Office space identified and leased in
Week 6
Office set up is initiated
Office equipment procured and installation initiated
Office admin, finance, operational, and HR policies
established
Office IT equipment procured and installation initiated
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 19
Calendar Weeks
Key Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
Milestone: Office space fully operational; all
equipment installed by Week 8.
Initiating Program Activities
COP notifies counterparts and stakeholders and begins
initial schedule of meetings
Focused meetings with counterparts to develop Market
Systems and Constraints Analysis
Submit scope and methodology of Market Systems and
Constraints Analysis to USAID COR
Within 30 days after Contract award, Compete will submit
an initial-four-month Work Plan to the COR. No later than
140 days after contract award, the Contractor must
submit the second Year 1 Work Plan covering the
remaining first year of the contract.
Grants and Subcontracts Manager begins draft Grants
under Contracts Manual
Workshop to finalize Market Systems and Constraints
Analysis
Submit draft Market Systems and Constraints Analysis
Begin working on sector action plans, depending on
USAID approval of the Market Systems and Constraints
Analysis report
Home office submits draft quarterly accrual report
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 20
Calendar Weeks
Key Activities Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Week
12
Week
13
Week
14
Week
15
Week
16
Compete works on draft first quarterly report to be
submitted 15 days after end of Q1
Compete submits GUCs manual to USAID
Milestone: Market Systems and Constraints Analysis
(75 days), Y1 initial four-month Work Plan (30 days)
and Grants under Contracts Manual submitted within
the first 90 days
Compete submits in-depth Sector Analyzes
Compete submits MELP
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 21
ANEX 3: STAFFING PLAN
GREEN represents activity completed on time, no issues YELLOW represents activity is in progress, no issues or major issues anticipated
RED – Represents issues with planned activity
POSITION NAME ANTICIPATED RECRUITMENT DATE COMMENTS
Chief of Party Skender Rama Completed
Deputy Chief of Party Artan Loxha Completed
Wood Sector Lead Rexhep Ilazi Completed
Food Processing Lead Agim Rrysha In process of rehiring Agim Rysha resigned from the positon from January 1, 2021.
Compete has started the hiring process for replacement.
Information and Communications Technology Lead
Driton Hapciu Completed
Market Linkages Expert Dren Zatriqi Completed
Firm Management Sophistication Expert
Gazmend Ahmeti Completed
Approved, started working in December.
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #01 22
POSITION NAME ANTICIPATED RECRUITMENT DATE COMMENTS
Workforce Development Lead
Majlinda Rizvanolli Completed
Approved, started working in December
Access to Finance Expert
Artan Xerxa Completed
Business Enabling Environment Lead
Blerim Ahmeti Completed
Market Systems Expert Nora Gola Completed
Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Plan Manager
Hana Hoxha Completed
Strategic Communications, Gender and Youth Manager
Dafina Rexha Completed
USAID KOSOVO COMPETE ACTIVITY — QUARTERLY REPORT #02 23
POSITION NAME ANTICIPATED RECRUITMENT DATE COMMENTS
Minorities and Inclusion Manager
Vesna Golubobic Completed USAID approved in January.
Grants and Subcontracts Manager
Sebiha Mehmeti Completed
Operations and Finance Director
Brikena Pustina Completed
Finance Manager TBD Completed Replacement of Finance Manager that was hired on October 22, 2020
Grants and Finance Assistant
TBD TBD Anticipated to start after Compete starts implementation of Grants portfolio
Driver/Office Assistant TBD TBD
Project Director Andriy Shevtsov Completed
Project Manager