Session Summary:
Over the past couple of years CIDA has been re-designing many of its programming processes in order to speed up the delivery of Canadian development assistance and contribute to its overall effectiveness. Directive programming – the ‘line of business’ in which CIDA takes the lead in identifying and implementing specific projects – is one of these; major changes in how this programming is implemented were introduced in 2010.
While supporting the resulting work on streamlining development delivery processes, a number of our members have raised questions about application of the new directive process particularly in two areas: project planning/development; and, contracting. In response, in September of 2010, CAIDC launched a consultation with its members on the new directive process to help serve as a basis for discussion with CIDA. CAIDC volunteers have participated in subsequent consultations on the new Request for Proposal (RFP) and contracting templates as well as the new RBM policy and processes.
The new processes have been in place now for over a year, providing both CIDA and the consulting community ample time to assess the extent to which they are indeed achieving the objectives of acceleration and effectiveness of program delivery including fair and consistent contracting procedures and contract management.
Our members have directed CAIDC to work constructively with CIDA in areas of mutual interest to ensure that Canada is a world leader in effective and efficient development programming. On May 12 at 3:30 you will have an opportunity to join in this process when Ted Langtry, retired Director General of CIDA’s Business Operations Group, Gayle Turner from Agriteam, Mary Lynch of MM Lynch Consultants International and Garry Comber discuss experiences to date and invite comments and questions on the implementation of the new directive process and contract template, the lessons learned to date and how we can work in partnership with CIDA to improve the process in the future.
Speaker Bios:
Ted Langtry - Moderator: former Director General of the Business Operations Group at CIDA.
Gayle Turner - Speaker: Vice President of Agriteam Canada, Gender and Social Development Specialist
Gayle has designed, managed, monitored and evaluated international development projects for more than 25 years. She joined Agriteam in 1991 as vice-president and manages Agriteam’s practice in Gatineau, Quebec. Her expertise includes capacity development, institutional strengthening, participatory development, gender equality and governance. She has worked in more than 30 countries, with long-term assignments in Nigeria, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Indonesia. Her management experience includes complex, multi-disciplinary projects such as the Basic Human Needs Project in Tibet, the Women’s Support Project, the Urban Services and Advocacy for Gender Equity, Bangladesh project and the Fiji Women’s Plan of Action Project. She currently directs the Supporting Jordan’s Education Reform Project and the Complementary Sector Reform Project, Bangladesh. She is a skilled trainer and facilitator in participatory methods, gender analysis, results-based management and performance measurement. She has led several participatory monitoring and evaluation assignments including the India Biogas Extension Project, the Nepal WECS Institutional Development Project and Indonesian Private Sector Education Project. Gayle has a BA and a BEd, and did graduate studies in Social Work.
Garry Comber - Speaker: Certified Management Consultant, Principal of Comber and Associates.
Mr. Comber is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) with thirty eight years of successful and innovative management and development assistance experience within the Canadian Government and as a consultant with various clients.
In his 20 years of public sector management employment, he has dealt with all aspects of program/project management in CIDA Headquarters and in the Field and with the International Centre for Ocean Development where he was the Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer.
Mr. Comber established a successful consulting practice in 1992 which has focused on results-based program/project planning and management, staff training, capacity and institutional assessment and strengthening, management reviews and monitoring of projects, preparation of staff guidelines, and corporate management issues associated with international development assistance. His clientele has included government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and international multilateral institutions.
Mary Lynch - Speaker: Senior International Development Consultant, M M Lynch Consulting International
Mary Lynch has more than 30 years professional experience, with 23 of these focusing exclusively on international development. Lynch has focused her work primarily on private sector development but has also combined this with governance and enabling environment issues important for economic growth. Lynch has worked on issues such as the impact of governance on economic opportunities, methods to support economic development at the local level, and approaches to building greater competitiveness of small enterprises. She has: designed projects and programs of support; facilitated strategic planning with agencies; and undertaken complex performance assessments of initiatives including agency wide reviews, sectoral reviews and country level reviews.
Her consulting work has taken her to over 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Americas and Central and Eastern Europe, working with the public sector, private sector, and non-governmental organizations. These assignments have been funded by development partners such as CIDA, World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Danida, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Institute on Cooperation in Agriculture and UNDP. Mary has a Doctorate in economic development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.