In order to increase efficiency in managing partnership agreements, UNHCR has further refined its risk-based approach whereby NGO partners are grouped into 3 categories - A (high-capacity/low-risk), B (medium), C (low-capacity/high-risk). For existing partners, the categorization is based on previous audits and assessments of internal controls. If a partner has been assessed by UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP (the Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers/HACT agencies) or by OCHA Country Based Pooled Fund (CBPF), then UNHCR Representatives have the discretion to take that rating into account.
Workstream 4 (Reduce duplication and management costs with periodic functional reviews), co-convened by the Government of Japan and UNHCR, is conducting an Independent Review of Individual Donor Assessments on Humanitarian Operations. Financed by the Government of Japan and carried out by GPPi, the review will map scope and variety of individual donor assessments covering ICRC, UNICEF, UNHCR, OCHA and WFP. The review will also look into the effects of these assessments on partners using selected country case studies.
One of “the reduce management costs” workstream commitments of the Grand Bargain is to decrease the costs of delivering assistance with the use of technology and innovation (commitment 4.1). Reducing management costs will increase the portion of funding used for the direct benefit of affected people. There are various ways to do so, including with mobile technology for needs assessments/post distribution monitoring; digital platforms/mobile devices for financial transactions; communication with affected population via call centers/SMS; sustainable energy and biometrics.
UNHCR hosted and organized the webinar ‘What is the UN Business Innovations Group (BIG) in the Grand Bargain to reduce management cost?’ on November 26th, 2019.
Please see the recording here, and the summary note and the presentation below.
The Money Where it Counts protocol was presented at an event in Brussels on 25 September 2019 by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Humentum, with the support of the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) and the Voluntary
One of the commitments under the “Reduce duplication and management costs” Grand Bargain workstream is to “reduce duplication of managements and other costs through maximising efficiencies in procurement and logistics for commonly required goods and services”. UNHCR, co-convener of the workstream is working with WFP to deliver on this commitment. When the UN family spends annually USD 18 billion in procurement of goods and services, the savings it generates could amount to hundreds of millions.
