1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES
1. Operational guidelines and general administrative
procedures presented in this manual can mainly promote socio-economic,
food security, income and employment generation activities foreseen in
Tavush Marz. Regarding conditions and terms of the area may require
revisions and specifications of the procedures defined in this manual.
In this case such changes require the consent of all participants.
Acronyms and Abbreviations
1.1 Objectives
2. The main objective of the RDF (in the future this
abbreviation may be used interchangeably with the term “Fund”) is to
promote the establishment of food security and poverty alleviation in
Armenia by financing small-scale projects that benefit the needy groups
of Armenian society. The Fund will also promote the activation and
development of community capacity building and possibilities which are
directed towards the coordination of activities. Projects financed by
the Fund will help the groups that have reached to the limit of poverty
to overcome social, economical, political and psychological constraints
by improving their access to services and by activation of their role
in the process of decision-making. Due to transparent means of
administration by ensuring the connection between government and civil
society the Fund promotes both the satisfaction of needs submitted by
various groups of society and reforms of means of administration.
3. The RDF will promote the satisfaction of needs and demands of the poor and the poorest groups in Tavush Marz by:
Creating income and employment generating activities;
Provision of basic services and
Supporting usage and enlargement of community capacity building possibilities (i.e. expansion into areas not presently covered).
1.2 Institutional principles.
4. The institutional principles of the Fund require
transparency, efficiency and responsibility and accountability in its
operations, which must ensuring that they serve to their intended
purpose and rapid and optimal distribution.
5. Transparency. A
clear set of rules and norms accompanied by a large public and the
auditing system which is developed in the exact same way will make it
possible to protect the operation of the Fund from possible corruption
and dishonesty. The required public accountability and transparency can
be achieved in case if there will be established such terms of
operation which will allow all the residents of town and village be
informed of the ways of realization of programs and of spending the
sums which are foreseen for these programs.
6. Efficiency. The
Fund will ensure that resources are used for their intended purpose
while keeping operating costs low. Certain important activities which
concern the operation of the Fund will be entrusted to the stakeholders
in the villages and towns.
7. Accountability. The
Fund will be subjected to a biannual external audit to supervise
operational and financial activities. The audit report shall be
submitted to in order to be approved to a special committee which is
engaged in questions concerning Marz Food Security. Due to
external audit it will be possible to clarify whether the institutional
principles of the Fund were met in the reported area.
8. Rapid operation.
In order to provide the greater operational flexibility and the ability
to respond to emergency situations in a quick, efficient and effective
manner, it is desirable to be as unbureaucratic and free from
procedural and regulatory constraints as possible.
9. Annual work plan and budget.
Each RDF shall present to Marz special committee all project proposals,
annual plans and budgets foreseen by the program. The annual plan and
budget must correspond to the criteria mentioned in this manual.
2. RDF ORGANIZATIONAL TASKS
10. The RDF is a financial instrument available to all
Community Unions. The latter ones in their turn operate within the
framework of the Local Self-Governance Law. The Fund’s most salient
organizational features are (see compare figure 1):
- Community RDF
- Food Security Marz Special Commission which is made up of
representatives from the Communities, the Marzpetaran and the donor
organizations
- The administrative, technical and financial autonomy is needed in order to regulate its operations
2.1 COMMUNITY RDF
2.1.1 Community Union Meetings
11. The Community Union must implement programs of the Fund
on the level of this region. Administrative tasks connected with
project submitted to the Community Union from the residents must be
managed by the executive director of the Community Union whose
responsibilities include preparation of a complete list of all the
programs and projects being applied to the Community Union and approved
by the latter. The approval of the programs will be done twice a year
during community union meetings.
12. Applications from communities must be submitted at least 1 month before the annual meetings.
2.1.2. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMUNITY UNION
13. The Executive Officer of the Community Union is a
person who is responsible for all the everyday administrative
activities which concern the activities of RDF in corresponding area.
And as for the Chairperson, s/he is elected by the members on
rotational basis ad serves for one year.
14. Duties of the Chairperson include (through executive director):
- Calling the Community Union meetings;
- Ensuring that all members have been invited on time;
- Preparing an agenda for the meeting and sending it to all members at least 1 week in advance of the meetings;
- At least 2 weeks in advance of the committee sitting
present to all the members of the meeting all the projects for
discussion in the process of the meeting
- Chairing the Community Union meetings and ensuring the
needed quorum to be maintained as well as the process of approval of
projects which will be financed from RDF;
- Ensuring the proper minutes to be made at the meetings and distribution among all members;
- Developing and proposing co-ordination policy to stakeholders.
2.2. MARZ COMMISSION
2.2.1 Mission of the Commission
15. The responsibilities of the Marz Commission
include co-ordinate and jointly approve bigger projects. In accordance
with this it is expected that the Commission must:
- Carry out dissemination of the needed information in villages, towns and Community Unions
- Carry out target evaluation of the projects, which means to
control their correspondence to general programs of the Marz, whether
they do not copy other programs and so on.
- Ensure unbiased distribution of resources and developing programs
- Undertake monitoring of plans and projects
16. Marz Commission is foreseen as an independent
commission which will have a responsibility for monitoring of general
policy and final coordination of projects. It must consist of 12
members. The commission must include:
- 1 representative from each CU: executive directors. Thus
for Tavush Marz the general number of the members will make up 4
persons:
- Four representatives from Marzpetaran;
- Four representatives from development organisations, donor
organisations, and public (non governmental) organisations: in this
case their actual financial contributions made to RDF must be
considered.
17. The main duties of the Commission are:
ensure monitoring and formulate general policy of the Fund
discuss and approve the order and means of programs implementation
call semi-annual meetings for discussion and approval of developing
projects and programs which are submitted to Marz Commission and must
be financed by the Fund
2.2.2 General Meetings
18. The general meeting of the Marz Commission must:
- if needed help with its advices Community Unions on technical and financial problems concerning development projects;
- help Community Unions to elaborate precise criteria for selection of programs;
- discuss and assess development programs, submit its remarks
not later than in due time, based exclusively on the proposals
submitted by community unions for discussion;
- assist Community Unions in searching for sources of funds;
- provide the required juridical field for activities of Community Unions.
2.2.3. Chairperson of the Commission
19. The Chairperson of the Marz Commission must be elected
by the members on a rotational basis and serve for one year.
20. Duties of the Chairperson include:
- calling the meetings of the Marz Commission,
- ensuring that all the members are informed on time,
- preparing and agenda for the meeting and sending it to all members at least 14 days before the meeting,
- informing all the members to all the project proposals
which must be considered at the meeting at least 2 weeks in advance of
the Commission meeting,
- chairing at the Commission meetings by ensuring the needed
quorum as well as regular process for approval of the projects
submitted by RDF to Marz Commission,
- ensuring the making of proper minutes of the meetings and their circulation to all the members,
- elaboration and proposing co-ordination policy concerning stakeholders.
2.2.4. Technical Groups
21. Technical group/ groups must be based on special
principles in Marzpetaran and administered by the head of corresponding
Marzpetaran administrative body. The necessity of such group will
emerge only in case if communities will make a proposal, and Community
Unions will state programs connected with Marz Commission as priority
ones.
22. The main activities of technical groups must be:
- give technical assessment and further plan for the programs submitted by Community Unions
- inform Marz Commission of approval or denial of the submitted programs by basing exclusively on technical criteria
- help Community Unions to evaluate (in the means of
expenditure) the programs and give the technical plan of realisation of
the latter
- help Community Unions to elaborate and organise proper documents
- organise instructional and consultative trainings for
Community Unions in order to reveal the capacity of the community and
give the right assessment, formulation of the program, for proper
evaluation of expenses connected with the program
2.2.5. Internal Monitoring (control)
23. The internal monitoring implemented by the Marz commission must:
ensure the proper implementation of the laws and orders in various stages of implementation of Marz commission programs
submit proposal to general meeting of community unions on organisation of internal audit.
2.2.6. Technical assistance
24. External advisory support is needed to:
- elaborate and carry out the institutional policy;
- advise the Community Unions and the Marz Commission on the issues of institutional development of the Fund;
- support the plan of the operation procedures;
- assist in fund raising;
- support the plan of a monitoring system to be in accordance with the process of programme management;
- include good practices from other experiences.
3. BASIC SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES ELIGIBILITY AND TARGETING
3.1. ELIGIBILITY AND PURPOSEFULNESS
3.1.1 Eligible subprojects
25. With the help of grants RDF will promote and finance the
establishment and rehabilitation of basic socio-economic development
projects and social services, including income and creation of work
places. All activities will be based on the needs of local population
and will meet the following key objectives:
- the fund will finance and cover only investment expenditures listed as eligible projects on the menu,
- projects must benefit the poor and vulnerable in the focus areas and targeted population groups,
- submitted project proposals must be presented for discussion and research to Community Unions,
- projects must be socially, technically and economically acceptable and viable
- maintenance of projects must be guaranteed by the communities,
- projects must be sustainable.
26. Improvement and development of income and employment
opportunities and provision of basic social services for the poor and
vulnerable must take place in the following fields:
- Agriculture,
- Drinking water,
- Educational buildings,
- Roads,
- Irrigation,
- Culture,
- Small and medium enterprise development,
- Capacity building,
- In the fields of other social services
27. RDF will not finance private works, especially if they already operate.
28. Menu of eligible projects could, for example, include:
In the field of agriculture: training, seed production, fruit and
multi-purpose tree production, erosion control, production of livestock
(domestic animals), marketing activities.
In the field of small and medium enterprise development: training and
assistance in establishing small businesses, marketing activities.
In the field of material infrastructure, including water supply,
sanitation, irrigation, buildings, community roads (no highway): it
assumes the establishment, enlargement and rehabilitation of systems
for public health and water supply, and for the latter the most
important task is to avoid loss of water, as well as water supply for
animals. It also includes construction or rehabilitation of small paths
and bridges, rehabilitation of small irrigation systems, as well as
other communal infrastructure.
29. The following will not apply for the fund:
- Construction of administrative buildings,
- Construction of religious buildings,
- Infrastructure which carries out personal domestic services.
30. Those social services which were not mentioned above
will be financed only in case of preliminary approval by the Marz
Commission.
31. Average size of the project:
In order to promote decision-making at local level and local
governance, the Fund does not foresee the limitation of values of the
programs, and the money intended for personal subprojects is limited to
$US 3000.
The list of projects approved by the Community Union must be sent afterwards to Marz Commission in informative order.
Objections of the Commission must be considered jointly by at least
three members of the Commission (e.g. one representative from the
Community Union, one from Marzpetaran, and one from donor organisation).
Larger programs which will require more financial inputs than those
mentioned must be additionally discussed in order to reveal the level
of their advantage. In order to approve these projects they will
require the opinion of Marz Commission, and the Commission will decide
on the limits of financial input.
32. The limits can be renounced if several villages combine
to carry out one project. In this case the Community Union can decide
to raise the limit according to the number of villages which
participate in the joint project.
33. Under no circumstances the project can be divided into
several graded steps for avoidance in exceeding the maximum limit
determined above.
34. The projects must be simple, evade administrative
complexity and completed in one year. In some cases more time period
can be provided for realisation of the program if it will be based and
approved by Marz Commission.
35. The Fund foresees also private inputs of the community. This need
is explained by the fact that the community must prove that the
expenses mentioned in the program are not artificially exceeded and
that the subprojects will continue to operate even if the period of the
Fund will expire. The least limits of input assume that:
the overall financial input foreseen for the program is at least 10%, and
at least 2% of the input must be in cash. The rest of the sum can be in kind as labor, materials and so on.
36. Communities cannot use funds from other projects financed by donors
or funds in order to make up the contribution to the project. Money,
labour and materials must be provided by community residents
themselves.
3.1. PROMOTION
3.2.1. Development groups of the Communities
37. These are the groups which consist of a group of
persons or families, that suffer from common problems (shortage of
food, poverty and so on), possibly share the similar tenseness, such as
lack of access to production resources (land, credit), who share the
common interest to “solve their problems by themselves” and who show a
form of joint decision-making in a territorial unit (i.e. several
villages or groups of houses which join together).
3.2.2. Mobilization of development groups
38. A development group in a community is considered to be
mobilized when it is in a position when it can organisationally,
administratively and socially evaluate its own potentials and
constraints in development, formulate and carry out measures which will
allow achieving planned objectives. Communities are responsible for
their own development and sometimes various development governmental
and non-governmental organizations may render help.
Table 1 shows different steps of mobilization – from embryonic to mature.
Table 1: Mobilization from embryonic to mature
(click inside to enlarge)
3.3. APPROVAL/SELECTION OF THE PROGRAMS
3.3.1. General principles
39. Development projects must be accepted by the
beneficiaries of realisation results i.e. people who live in the
community.
40. Approval assumes a joint process between residents and
local authorities (heads of communities and town councils).
Table 1: Mobilization from embryonic to mature
41. The procedure of program admission must have two steps:
- The Community Union must provide information on how and by when the projects must be submitted to union for discussion.
- The Community must carry out the preliminary evaluation of
the programs and prioritises them according to criteria which are
determined in this manual. The proposals will admitted only if they
will correspond to the standards listed in the end of the manual. The
criteria for BCU table are attached.
3.3.2. Provision of information
42. The Marz Commission, Community unions must provide the
information to local communities through Community Unions. The
information provided will allow the communities to have a notion on the
terms of presentation of an application for programs, selection
criteria for the program, terms of financing (financial contributions
of the communities, program maintenance obligations and so on). The
information will be provided both as a simple brochure, and at village
or community meetings. People who live in villages and towns can submit
written project proposals through members of the union or village
mayors. (See Table 2)
3.3.3. Initial project selection by communities
43. Preliminary presentation of the programs can
be organized in the following way: a public meeting of
community/village can be held and make a joint decision about programs
which are priority ones for residents in order to submit them to
Community Union.
44. In the process of programs evaluation the community must prioritize
them according to the following criteria (each Community Union must
assess these criteria by choosing such criteria which are more
appropriate for its needs and requirements):
- overall number of community residents who benefit from the program
- overall number of residents who benefit from the program
- investments carried out by residents (money, labour, material)
- investment expenditure per each person
- program investment in the process of poverty reduction
- number of communities which are engaged in the program
- program investment in the process of local capacity building
- maintenance expenditure for the program
- number of program indirect beneficiaries
- possibilities for distribution of the program at regional level
- protection of environment
- general benefit expected from realization of the program
45. Report of the meeting will be attached to the application of the project.
3.4. POSSIBILITY RESEARCHES & FINAL SELECTION CARRIED OUT BY COMMUNITY UNIONS
3.4.1. Possibility
46. Since the programs correspond to the abovementioned criteria and
don’t exceed the sum which is foreseen for each program ($US 3000)
there will be no need to study technical possibilities in order to
realize them. There will be no need for such assessment also if the
programs will correspond to approved standards and “fall” within the
limits of determined sum.
47. Those programs which will exceed the determined financial limit and
will have technically complicated nature will be subject to additional
discussion.
48. Additional study (including technical, financial, and social and
poverty aspects) will be carried out on the basis of the program which
is submitted by community and assessed and approved by Community Union.
This process assumes the following steps:
- a technical specialist will visit the community presented
in program in order to make sure that the selection of the program is
correct
- a general meeting at community level will be called in
order to discuss questions concerning program project, the means for
realization, financial investments and maintenance
- the application will be certified, well-founded and the technical and financial information will be added to it.
49. Technical possibilities. The technical group of Marz
Commission will visit the community/village presented in the program in
order to confirm the technical basis of the program, possibilities and
usefulness. For this matter the following must be clarified:
- Current status of socio-economic infrastructure,
- Description of subproject works
- Number of users
- Basic restrictions
- Any issues concerning land ownership and related to the project
- Main types of the works
- Estimated expenditure based on standard prices
- Estimated maintenance costs
- Rapid evaluation of influence on environment, and other.
50. Socio-economic possibilities: The technical group of Marz
Commission will visit the community/village presented in the program in
order to evaluate socio-economic possibilities of the program,
including:
- Local contributions,
- Maintenance arrangements.
51. Form of project feasibility: After the visit and meeting in the
community the corresponding engineer will draw up the document (form)
on project possibilities including:
- Technical data and cost
- Realisation and maintenance activities of the program
- Financial contributions of local people
- Other contributions
- Final decision on project feasibility
- Recommendations foreseen for Marz Commission and so on.
52. If realization possibilities for the program are feasible then the
project proposal will be signed by both community and the engineer.
53. Afterwards the program will be sent to Marz Commission for final conclusion.
3.4.2. The selection carried out by Community Unions
54. The selection of the programs which are considered for discussion
is accepted by Community Union. This process takes place twice a year.
55. The selection must be carried out in the following way. First
Community Unions must make selection. Small-scale programs which do not
exceed the abovementioned limits can be approved and operated by
Community Unions. Larger programs must be evaluated according to their
priority and sent to Marz Commission for discussion.
56. The programs must be approved in the period of two weeks after their submitting to Community Union or Marz Commission.
57. In order to approve the programs submitted both to Community Union
and Marz Commission they will need consent of the simple majority of
participants in the sittings.
3.5. CONTRACT
58. After selection of the program parties conclude a contract. In case
of large-scale programs (after approval of Marz Commission) it is
concluded between Community Union and the head of corresponding
community. The contract determines terms of cooperation and
relationship between parties.
59. From the part of Community Union the contract is signed, if, the
community will transfer 2% of the total sum intended for investment as
prepayment to the account of Community Union.
- The group which is a beneficiary of the Fund is formed and operated
- before the start of the program the financing of expenditure connected with operation and maintenance is ensured
- The availability of investment carried out by community is confirmed by an act
3.5.1. Community group for programs implementation
60. From the point of view of representation all the participating
parties must be included in program implementation groups and they must
be balanced (gender equality, and so on). The head of the group must be
elected by participants. In case of planning collective infrastructure
(i.e. small programs for irrigation or water supply) the group in its
turn must form a commission which will protect interests of users.
61. During the preliminary stage of program implementation the group
accepts the responsibility for provision of investment which is
required for community (financial or other).
3.5.3. Maintenance and operation plan
62. Tasks concerning maintenance are to be agreed upon at the
preparation stage before the start of approved program financing, and
be determined by the agreement concluded between Community Union and
community.
63. The maintenance and operation plan will include:
- Description and frequency of maintenance (repair)
- Requirements for labor force for realization of works
- Annual cost
- Where applicable fees must be collected in order to cover at least the operation and maintenance cost.
3.5.2. Other sources for financing
64. In such cases when the program has additional financial sources, it
is assumed that corresponding head of the organization also must sign
the contract.
3.6. Realisation of the program
3.6.1. Supply
65. The supply of materials, property, services, and other which
fall within total cost of the program is realised in the following way:
- in the limits up to 0.8 millions of drams /for goods of the
same name/ the supply are provided by local means, without any
formalities.
- limited tender in the limits of 0.8 millions-1.5 millions
drams: at least three organisations must submit cost projects which
must be stated in documents
- in the limits of 1.5 millions-3 millions drams: the process
of tender must be registered in documents, at least three organisations
must be engaged, detailed description of projects must be submitted in
written form for discussion, the assessment of the tender must also be
registered , written contracts must be prepared, invoices and receipts
must be presented.
- in case if the sum is over 3 million drams: tender
documents and projects submitted by consultants, tender evaluating
reports, reports concerning evaluation of participants’ projects,
projects of contracts, contracts with consultants and so on (all these
must be first of all approved by Marz Commission and donor).
3.6.2. Contracts with consultants
66. In order to select consultants or consulting companies priority
aspects are their knowledge, experience, the level of submitted
proposal.
67. If provided consultation services exceed 20000 drams the following steps are implemented:
- the needs, terms and approximate expenses (cost) are evaluated
- a brief list of consultants is prepared (not less than three)
- consultants are invited to present proposals (including on technical questions and expenses)
- Marz Commission creates a special committee which must evaluate and systematize these proposals
- the committee in its turn submits the proposals which were highly rated to the Commission in order to approve them
- the payment is made only after the final result of the
works is received, and it must be accepted by corresponding technical
union and Marz Commission.
68. Limited local tenders must be carried out on the basis of legislation of the Republic of Armenia.
3.6.3. Supervision
69. The groups which carry out the project are responsible for its technical supervision.
70. In such cases when the works connected with the program are of
complicated nature a supervisor can be appointed. The supervisor of
infrastructure program must be an engineer or architect, and qualified
person who will have a corresponding qualification will be the
supervisor for (training) project.
3.6.4. Payment
71. Payment /materials/ is given to the party which concludes contract
(that is the head of the community or organisation
which concluded contract).
72. The participant to the contract must have a bank account.
73. Payment made from community investments must be registered (the
proof will be the original of bank registration) until payment carried
out by Community Union.
74. Supply of money /material/ from running account requires presence of at least two persons who signed the contract.
75. Reports must be discussed in community/group at least twice a month.
76. Small-scale subprojects will receive three consistent payments
/materials/ which will make up 40%, 30%, and 30% of contracted sum
/correlation of supplied means may change depending on peculiarities/.
The first payment will be made only after the approval of community investment.
3.6.5. Extra works
As a general rule no works can be done in addition to the amount of
works stated in the contract. The Community Union will not compensate
any additional works unless damages suffered in the consequence of
natural disasters /force-majeure - flood, earthquake, bombardment and
so on.
3.6.6. Handing over of the program
77. A site visit will allow inspecting the completed project. The completed project will be considered finished if:
- implementing party invites community meeting which will approve sufficient level of works being carried out.
- by memorial order it will be handed over to community as basic, balance property
3.6.7. Breach of contract
78. The Community Union reserves its right to break the
contract if the community group, enterprise or organization fails to
carry out its duties or it turns out that the works cannot be properly
implemented in due time and within the prescribed limits.
79. In these cases a detailed list of expenditures must be made and the
goods and supplies which were already acquired will remain at the
disposal of and on responsibility of Community Union until general
meeting of Community Union will decide on their disposal.
80. Moreover, if failure of the program is caused by implementing
group, intermediary enterprise or organization the latter lose their
right for financing of CU and will compensate caused damages.
81. Possible sanctions:
Legal proceedings will be initiated in case of failure of delivery at latest after declaration of 2 warnings
If small intermediary organizations will fail to carry out their duties
or will carry out an incomplete work they will lose the right to
participate in any contract concluded by CU
Large intermediary organizations must deposit a bank guarantee which is
equivalent to 30% of the total advance sum. In case of poor quality of
works or other forms of negligence they will lose the sum.
82. The sanctions can only be applied with the consent of Community
Union general meeting and/or all the participants to the contract must
agree on sanctioning any contract partner.
3.7. SUSTAINABILITY
3.7.1. General
83. Project sustainability is a key objective and requirement of CU.
The supervisors of Marz Commission and investment organization must
evaluate not only the ability of the community groups to promote high
quality projects but their ability to assure maintenance of the
projects as well.
84. After a project was completed and handed over Marz Commission and
CU will continue to visit the site in order to verify that the program
is being maintained. If it will turn out that the program has lost its
sustainability and Community Union wasn’t able to improve the
situation, RDF will refuse to finance in the future any program
foreseen in that area.
3.7.2. Community active groups
85. These groups are RDF local (that is beneficiary of the program)
communities must be responsible for realization and maintenance of the
program. The main tasks of the aforementioned groups
are:
- guarantee sustainability of the completed project
- when required assure the daily operation of the infrastructure
- when appropriate collect user fees for the proper level of operation and maintenance
- when required create special fund for all the activities
- settle any disputes and problems among the users.
3.7.3. Maintenance fund
86. If it is possible in order to finance annual operating and
maintenance activities there may be established a special fund in
accordance with maintenance and operation plan. Active group must
implement the activity of this fund (2% of preliminary evaluated cost).
3.7.4. Emergency repair
87. In some exceptional events CU may finance emergency rehabilitation
and repairs of infrastructure. It can take place if the following
conditions will apply:
- if the infrastructure was developed or rehabilitated due to financing of RDF,
- the damages have been caused by unforeseen event and not by negligence, irresponsibility or incorrect use carried out by users.
- if repairs are beyond the financial and technical possibilities of groups,
- if the group has sent a written order to Marz Commission, and it was approved by Community Union
- a plan of the repair works is made and concluded a contract upon according to the process determined above,
- if the group contributed at least 10% of the cost of repair works.
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