Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs

Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement

Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014

ANNEXURE – H

PERFORMANCE MONITORING PLAN

Background & Context
The USAID Entrepreneurship Program intends to systematically address the priority problems and
critical constraints impeding the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Pakistan. The
Program will adopt a holistic approach to build capacity and provide avenues of networking to
Pakistani and US entrepreneurs and related facilitation bodies.
EDAS proposes to address this Grant’s objectives by dovetailing its implementation strategy with
the Development Object (DO) i.e.
To promote sustainable enterprises, small businesses, and innovation in Pakistan through
connections with U.S. partners, especially successful U.S. entrepreneurs
The objective of this USAID Entrepreneurship Grant is to support economic programming that connects
U.S. and Pakistani entrepreneurs and small businesses and capacity build them in order to create jobs,
boost incomes, spur innovation, and expand economic opportunity.
The Program activities are organized under two major components that are; (i) Capacity Building
of local organizations in improving entrepreneurial skills and (ii) Creating people to people contacts
between US and Pakistani entrepreneurs providing avenues for knowledge sharing and facilitating
establishment of partnerships

Objectives of this PMP

The main objective of developing a performance monitoring plan is to enable management of the
USAID’s Entrepreneurship Program to measure performance of the Program initiatives. It will
describe the systematic process to be applied for monitoring the achievements of Program activities,
collection and analysis of performance information to track progress towards achieving results,
assist in decision making and performance communication.

Functions of a PMP
This PMP will include a detailed plan for managing the collection of data in order to monitor
performance and will consist of a results framework and monitoring and evaluation system, and
reporting requirements. The PMP will specify sources, method of collection, and frequency of
collection, and designated responsibilities for data collection. The PMP also describe risks and
critical assumptions. The PMP will also include performance indicators, data collection, data
quality assessment, data analysis and communication approach and plans. The primary
responsibility of implementing this plan will be that of the M&E function of the Program which
will fulfill performance monitoring responsibilities in association with the grants program of the
Program.
 Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs
Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014

Elements of PMP – Data collection Plan

Data Collection
The M&E function within the USAID’s Entrepreneurship Program will be responsible for the
overall implementation of the performance monitoring plan. Monitoring of performance will be
based on the strategic indicators given in the result framework. Monitoring of the performance at
the strategic assistance objective will be carried out by the USAID mission in Pakistan as a whole,
while the Program will monitor its contribution to the Development Objective (DO).
As the Program is dealing with the capacity building and establishing people to people contact
between US and Pakistani entrepreneurs, performance indicators in these two particular
components will be evaluated against the deliverables mentioned in detail in the preceding matrix.
For the first intermediate results area, i.e. hand holding of local institutions, data will be generated
in terms of beneficiaries targeted and the number of startup ventures that will be established.
For the second component, the number of partnerships and contacts will be evaluated as a result of
industry thematic areas targeted through country wide mentoring and networking sessions.
The Program will also collect and report performance on the three objectives supporting the sub-
intermediate results i.e. established linkages to markets, enhanced capacity of micro and small
entrepreneurs and improved incidence of innovations. The performance monitoring plan and result
framework will follow.

Data quality and its assessment

Efforts will be made to maintain high quality of the collected data to support the performance
management decision and to use it as an evidence for attributing results to efforts. Data will be
assessed in order to ensure that it is useful for managing result and credible for reporting. Data
quality will be assessed against the five data quality standards i.e. validity, integrity, precision,
reliability and timeliness. The Program M&E function will assess the data received from various
sources including its Master Trainers, Program Assistants employed in conducting sessions and
beneficiary entrepreneurs. Special assessments can be done in case of evident compromises on the
quality of data. Data from baseline, mid-line, end-line and other studies would also be subject to
quality assessments.

Data collection methods

Data will be collected by all functions of the Program, Master trainers, strategic partners and grant
beneficiaries. The Program M&E function will establish protocols for collection of this data. Data
methods will vary from collection of published secondary information (by government and private
agencies in Pakistan and the US), primary information generated through participatory and
consultative approaches such as interviews, observations, focus group discussions and using semi-
structured and structured questionnaires.

Data sources
Various data sources will be referenced to monitor and evaluate performance of the Program. This
will include secondary as well as primary information. Secondary information will be collated from
published sources, reports and studies conducted by other similar Programs, independent research
 Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs
Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014

institutions and government agencies. For primary information, the Program will use templates and
participatory approaches to generate, analyze and validate requisite data, primarily during the
training activities to be held under this program over the life of the Program.

Data Analysis, Reporting and Uses Plan

Data will be analyzed using options of advanced automated software application having integration
with Grants and Finance function of the Program. Early in the Program inception phase, the
Program will seek technical assistance through the sub-contractor to develop custom software for
data compilation, analysis and reporting with remote access at all its entry nodes. Data entry, review
and analysis will be done by the M&E function of the Program. Data analysis and reporting will
pay particular attention to:
 Disaggregation as required under the result frame-work
 Comparing disaggregated data over time against benchmarks/baseline and desired/targeted
performance
 Relative performance behavior of various indicators;
 Analysis of cost effectiveness of performance, for instance cost of creating a partnership
generation through various alternative intervention options; and,
 Analysis of the link with interventions and achieving strategic assistance objective and
intermediate results including analysis of deviations.

Reporting of Progress
Reporting of progress and performance will be done as per the requirements of the Grant agreement
which would allow for;
 weekly and monthly program plans and reports submission (if required);
 performance monitoring reporting;
 Notifications – Monthly or as required (special developments that impact activities,
problems, delay and issues, steps taken etc.)
 Quarterly program performance reports (not later than 30 days after each reporting
period; calendar quarter)
 Annual/Final report – not later than 30 days after the completion of reporting year
and final report not later than 90 days after the completion of the Program.

Complementary Evaluation
The Program, in order to complement monitoring information, will determine the need together
with USAID mission for additional evaluation and assessment efforts. This will be required to
assess situations which are not normally addressed through review and performance reporting
system. This may include the following;
 Program annual review
 Performance review of program components (annual and mid-term)
 Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs
Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014

 Emerging impact studies

External evaluations (if required), will be outsourced to an external entity for which a statement of
work will be developed which will include description of the activities, Program approaches to be
evaluated, the utilization of internal monitoring data, the intended purpose of the evaluation,
methodology to be used, deliverables expected, team composition, scheduling and logistics
requirements, reporting/communication and proposed budget.

Communication and use of Performance Information

The dissemination of performance information is critical for the overall effective implementation
of the Program and creating awareness among the stakeholders. Information will be disseminated
to external audiences, such as government agencies including provincial government entities,
collaborating NGOs/RSPs, other partners, donors, clients groups, and other relevant stakeholders.
Communication tools will include reports, oral briefings (workshop/seminars/mentoring sessions),
Different media will be used including print and electronic media.

Relevance of Program DO with Results areas (IRs)

This is reflected in the Program Development Objective (DO) that states “To promote sustainable
enterprises, small businesses, and innovation in Pakistan through connections with U.S. partners,
especially successful U.S. entrepreneurs”
The DO then trickles down into two intermediate results areas and their subsequent intermediate
results areas which reflect the Program activities that are organized under two major components
that are; (i) Capacity Building of local organizations in improving entrepreneurial skills and (ii)
Creating people to people contacts between US and Pakistani entrepreneurs providing avenues for
knowledge sharing and facilitating establishment of partnerships
The 2 Program Intermediate Results (IR) and sub intermediate results (S-IRs) as highlighted by the
RFP are as follows:
IR-1: Strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and Pakistan
The Sub IRs are as follows:
IR 1.1 Establishment of knowledge sharing protocols b/w US and Pakistani entrepreneurs; using
virtual outreach
IR 1.2 Creation of industry specific linkages b/w US and Pakistan entrepreneurs; using point-2-
point contact
IR-2: Strengthen local organizations’ capacity
The Sub IRs are as follows:
S-IR 2.1 Institutionalization of entrepreneurial behavioral improvement programs in local selected
Universities and Technical Institutes
S-IR 2.2 Capacity building of local existing and potential individuals and groups on functional
entrepreneurial skills

Detailed performance indicators, performance targets, data sources, collection methods and
frequency against each of these results areas are mentioned in detail in the results framework
mentioned in the Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP). This is elaborated in the table below
 Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs
Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014
Development Objective (DO): To promote sustainable enterprises, small businesses, and innovation in Pakistan through connections with U.S. partners, especially successful U.S.
entrepreneurs
Performance Monitoring Framework
Collection
Result Statements Performance Indicators Performance Targets Data Sources Collection Methods Responsibility
Frequency
5% of total beneficiary Monitoring visits,
Monitoring and followup Program
Number of sustainable start-up ventures with business entrepreneurs from verification visits, financial
reports, contracts, MoUs, Quarterly Manager/Prog
models Comp (a) & (b), Approx record of beneficiaires,
Profiling sessions etc. Assistant
50 Attendance sheets etc.
DO: To promote sustainable Number of marketing strategies developed to help Program
enterprises, small businesses, and 100% of number of start- Post training assessments, Baselines, Attendance sheets,
entrepreneurs adjust and adapt to market place Quarterly Manager/Prog
up ventures established Attendance sheets, Followup sessions
innovation in Pakistan through requirements Assistant
connections with U.S. partners, Number of Pakistani enterprises and small businesses 5% of networking/ Monitoring reports, Program
especially successful U.S. Baselines, Attendance sheets,
establishing contact with US partners, especially mentoring sessions. contracts, MoUs, Profiling Quarterly Manager/Prog
Beneficiary assessments,
entrepreneurs entrepreneurs Approx 20 sessions etc. Assistant

Program
Number of innovative products emerging from 5 (Indicative number - Post training assessments, Attendance sheets, Baselines,
Yearly Manager/Prog
partnerships TBA) Monitoring reports followup sessions
Assistant
Program
No. of entrepreneurs having access to facilitation web Approx. 1,000 over the Monitoring reports, Web Baselines portal metics
Monthly Manager/Prog
portal Life of Program portal metrics' analysis analysis
Assistant

5% of total beneficiaries Pre-Post training Program

IR-1: Strengthen people-to-people Attendance sheets, Baselines,
Number of partnerships created from Comp (b), Approx assessments, Monitoring Bi-Annually Manager/Prog
Followup sessions
ties between the United States and 20 reports Assistant
Pakistan
Attendance sheets, Baselines,
Program
40% increase from PrePost training Followup sessions,
Percentage of increased revenue of start-up ventures Bi-Annually Manager/Prog
baseline assessments, Beneficiary financial details -
Assistant
post training

Program
Attendance sheets, baselines Attendance sheets, baselines,
Number of mentorship meetings or sessions 8 Monthly Manager/Prog
conducted Actual sessions conducted
Assistant
IR-2: Strengthen local 50% increase from Program
Increased knowledge of business, marketing and Pre-Post training Baselines, Monitoring and
baseline value using score Bi Annually Manager/Prog
organizations’ capacity product development assessments reports followup reports
card Assistant
50% increase from Program
Improved capacity score of grant recipients on Pre-Post training Baselines, Monitoring and
baseline value using score Bi-Annually Manager/Prog
targeted business competencies assessments followup reports
card Assistant
Program
Webportal metric analysis, Year One
Number of web portal established 1 Monitoring report Manager/Prog
baseline Quarter 2-3
Assistant
Sub-IR-1.1. Establishment of Post training assessments, Program
Number of US and Pakistani entrepreneurs accessing 400 resulting from 8 Baselines, portal metrics
knowledge sharing protocols b/w Monitoring and followup Monthly Manager/Prog
web portal mentoring sessions analysis
US and Pakistani entrepreneurs; reports Assistant
using virtual outreach Program
Number of learning case studies and videos uploaded Baselines, Web portal
4 Monitoring reports, Quarterly Manager/Prog
on web portal metrics' analysis
Assistant
10% of networking/ Program
Number of contacts/interactions held between US and
Sub-IR-1.2. Creation of industry mentoring beneficiaries. Pre training assessments, Attendance sheets, Baselines Monthly Manager/Prog
Pakistani institutions
specific linkages b/w US and Approx 40. Assistant
Pakistan entrepreneurs; using point-2- 3- (University, Program
Number of partenerships established between US and Contracts, MoUs, Attendance sheets, Baselines,
point contact Association and Tech Bi annually Manager/Prog
Pakistani institutions Agreements, Post assessment reports
institute, one of each) Assistant
Sub-IR-2.1. Institutionalization of Program
Number of partnerships established with local 4 Universities, 2 technical Monitoring reports, Baselines, site visits, faculty
entrepreneurial behavioral Quarterly Manager/Prog
universities and technical institutions institutes Partnership agreements meetings etc.
improvement programs in local Assistant
selected Universities and Technical Monitoring
Number of local partner universities and technical Program
Institutes 4 Universities, 2 technical reports,Partnership Baselines, site visits, faculty
institutions agree to incorporate entrepreneurial Quarterly Manager/Prog
institutes agreements, Curricula meetings etc.
behavioral improvement programs in their content Assistant
details
Sub-IR-2.2. Capacity building of 50% increase from Post training assessments, Program
Improved score on the capacity of organizations or
local existing and potential baseline value using score Monitoring and followup Baselines, Followup sessions Bi Annually Manager/Prog
educational/training programs
individuals and groups on functional card reports Assistant
50% increase from Post training assessments, Program
entrepreneurial skills
Improved scaling up of business capacity baseline value using score Monitoring and followup Baselines, Followup sessions Bi Annually Manager/Prog
card reports Assistant

Key M&E Tasks

Key M&E tasks with responsibilities for the first year are mentioned in the table below.
The final responsibilities will be allocated and the activities will be finalized after agreement with
the USAID mission once the team is on board before the 3rd quarter.
 Funding Opportunity Title: Entrepreneurship Programs
Announcement Type: Grant or Cooperative Agreement
Funding Opportunity Number: SCA-ISB-15-AW-003-12012014

FIRST YEAR Performance Plan - Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication

Key M&E Tasks and Activities
Lead/Support
S. # Key M&E Area M&E Activities and Sub-activities Organization Resposible Designation Quarter
Role
M&E System including Framework (Indicators, PMP, PIRs) development EDAS M&E Manager Lead Role 1,2
Development of Reporting Templates and Mechanism for Data
Monitoring, EDAS M&E Manager Lead Role 1,2
collection & compilation
Evaluation &
1 Development of Data In-Flow and Out-Flow Mechanism EDAS M&E Manager Lead Role 1
Reporting System
Development of Data Quality Assurance Mechanism EDAS M&E Manager Lead Role 1
Development
Integration of Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting System with the
EDAS IT Advisor Lead Role 2
Mission's Integrated Management Information System
Training Asst / M&E
Data Collection, Management & Reporting EDAS Support Roles 3 onwards
Manager/Trainers
Database Management - development of Output Tables/ Reports EDAS Outsourced Lead Role 3 onwards
Data Collection
2 Beneficiary Registration and Rolling baseline EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
and Management
Data Validation and Quality Assessment EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
Locating Project Beneficiaries; and presenting project progress data on
EDAS Database Specialist Lead Role 3 onwards
Maps
Project Progress Summary against the work plan EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
Project Target Vs. Achievement Report/ Variance Report EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
Progress Verification and Process Monitoring Visits EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
Grants Monitoring and Tracking including beneficiaries feedback EDAS M&E and IT Team Support Role 3 onwards
Managing M&E Staff's Work plan EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
3 Monitoring
Baseline Survey EDAS M&E and IT Team Support Role 3 onwards
Component (a) and (b) related assessments EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 3 onwards
Mid Term Evaluation EDAS M&E Manager Support Role 4

Follow-up Surveys and Studies/ Outcome and Impact Indicators Tracking EDAS M&E Manager Lead Role 4

M&E and
Monthly EDAS Support Role 3 onwards
Communication Team
M&E and each
Quarterly Reporting EDAS Support Role
Communication Team quarter
Data Analysis and M&E and
4 Annual Reporting EDAS Support Role 4,7
Reporting Communication Team
M&E and
Specific USAID Reporting/ Pakinfo EDAS Support Role 0
Communication Team
M&E and
Specific Management Reporting (training site visit reports) EDAS Support Role 3 onwards
Communication Team
Project
Development of a Project Central Repository EDAS Support Role 2 onwards
Manager/IT/Outsourced
Website Development (periodically update project information on Project Manager, M&E
5 Communication EDAS Support Role 2,3
website) and IT/Outsourced
Case studies, success stories and most significant changes, Lessons- Project Manager, M&E
EDAS Support Role 2 onwards
learnt and Learning Exercises and IT/Outsourced
Project Manager /M&E
Gender & other groups' assessment (beneficiary level) EDAS Lead Role 1,2
Manager
Project Manager /M&E
6 Social and Gender Incorporation of Gender dimensions in Project and M&E Systems EDAS Lead Role 1,2
Manager
Monitoring & Follow-up of Gender dimensions in project activities and in Project Manager /M&E
EDAS Lead Role 3 onwards
M&E Manager
Project Manager /M&E
Support to Project Progress Review Committee Meetings (Monthly) EDAS Lead Role 2 onwards
Manager
Project Manager /M&E
Quarterly Review meetings with USAID EDAS Lead Role 2 onwards
Support to Project Manager
7
Management Project Manager /M&E
Annual Project Progress Meetings EDAS Lead Role 2 onwards
Manager
Project Manager /M&E
Follow-up of Progress Review Committee Meetings EDAS Lead Role 2 onwards
Manager