Objective:
The SAPPPA project’s main goal was to provide the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) with an assessment tool to use in all its program areas, and to conduct objective and independent on-site performance assessments of PEPFAR partners.
Approach:
Khulisa and its consortium partners, Social & Scientific Systems Inc. (SSS) and Sustainability Solutions Africa (Pty) Ltd (SSA), conducted 377 performance audits (PAs) of 89 PEPFAR-funded implementing partners. The PAs supported program accountability by independently assessing the management and administration of PEPFAR programs. The PAs reported on partners’ adherence to PEPFAR and South African Government (SAG) policies and guidelines.
Khulisa was responsible for the following activities:
- Overall management of all PAs undertaken under this project, including regular meetings with the client and managing consortium partners;
- Recruitment, training, and deployment of assessors;
- Piloting of the SAPPPA tool and process;
- Regularly updating and revising the SAPPPA tool and process based on lessons learned from conducting the assessments; and
- Conducting the performance assessments of PEPFAR partners.
The Khulisa team developed 10 modules as part of the SAPPPA Performance Assessment Tool – eight technical area modules (one for each of PEPFAR’s program areas) and two cross-cutting modules (organization administration and fiscal management, and human capacity development and health systems strengthening). Each of the modules underwent various edits and versions based on feedback from stakeholders and pilot testing. The team tweaked the final version of the tool during the lifespan of the project but did not modify it significantly to allow for comparability of results.
Impact/Achievements:
Through the SAPPPA project, Khulisa and its partners:
- Developed a performance assessment tool (PAT);
- Conducted performance assessments, strengthening accountability;
- Developed key SAPPPA guidance documents, including process, implementation, and training manuals;
- Assessed management and administration practices;
- Enabled capacity development and systems strengthening;
- Examined organizational administration and fiscal management; and
- Recruited, trained, and deployed highly qualified assessors.