Minimum Reporting Requirements for SFP
The Minimum Reporting Project will develop and implement a standardised Minimum Reporting Package on SFPs. It is hoped that this will help:
• provide a reliable way of monitoring and evaluating the performance of SFPs using approved and standard definitions.
• help identify problems and where programmes need to be adapted.
• facilitate supervision of programmes for managers, officials at agency and country level and donors.
• provide a resource for evaluating the impact on efficacy of a change in protocol, or other change in the intervention context (e.g. a new influx of refugees, a change in season, etc.).
• the implementation of a common set of accepted reporting standards, that will be key to enhancing accountability of programming to both donors and beneficiary populations.
The Minimum Reporting Package will involve development of three main tools:
i) A set of guidelines and data collection templates
ii) Supporting manuals and training materials
iii) A database application for data entry, analysis and reporting based on the guidelines, and employing user-friendly software developed for this purpose.
An inter-agency central data repository will be created, where nutrition programme data can be stored and accessed, to enable programme comparison, strengthening of institutional memory, lessons learning and to inform research. The central repository will have a dedicated person to receive, clean and provide data that is readily accessible. It will produce regular programme performance reports and ad hoc analysis on demand from participating agencies.
Stages of implementation
Draft minimum reporting guidelines have already been prepared and presented at the ENN/SC UK workshop in May 2008. A small number of modifications have been made based on comments received at the workshop. A critical mass of organisations has endorsed the Minimum Reporting Package and is willing to implement it in their respective field operations (World Vision, Save the Children UK, NICS, FANTA, IRC, WFP, Nutrition Cluster, UNHCR, Concern Worldwide and Valid International). Subsequent stages are as follows:
Development of final guidelines and report templates among agencies endorsing the Minimum Reporting Package
Translation into a software tool by I.T. experts
Field piloting of the reporting package and guidelines
Developing final version of guidelines and software tool
Training and dissemination of the package
Rollout to other agencies
Formalising agreements between endorsing agencies and the ENN on data ownership and sharing.
For further details, contact Jeremy Shoham, email: jshoham@easynet.co.uk
