USAID/Iraq - Tarabot: Partnership Focused

USAID-Tarabot’s aim was to assist the Government of Iraq (GoI) to better engage with and respond to the needs of the Iraqi people. The project’s scope focused on areas that can achieve sustainable, tangible impact on the lives of its citizens. USAID-Tarabot’s initiatives span policy development, regulatory reform, improv-ing capital infrastructure, introducing new customer service models, and carrying out administrative decentralization. The impact of USAID-Tarabot’s integrated ap-proach is evident not only in the Iraq’s ministries and government offices, but on the ground and in the day-to-day lives of Iraq’s citizens.

AT THE INTERSECTION OF IMPACT, SUSTAINABILITY, AND COMMITMENT

DISCLAIMERThe author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. It was prepared by Management Systems International.Contracted: AID–267–C–11–00005 / Iraq Administrative Reform ProjectPeriod of Performance: 2011-2014 Value: $103,255,850

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USAID-Tarabot has spent years building trust and establishing links to Iraq’s executive offices, national ministries, and provincial governors’ offices (GOs), as well as Iraq’s civil society and private sector. USAID-Tarabot and Iraq’s partnership is not with a singular entity, but rather is the cumulation of linkages, networks, and trust built between the project and its 50+ Iraqi partner institutions. Each was built over time, negotiated, honed and maintained through mutual respect and learning. The efforts made in these partnerships have proven judicious, as the Government of Iraq’s own programs of reform, policy development, and necessary infrastructure investment are now on a dramatic increase.

The Government of Iraq has also supported this partnership in-kind and financially – USAID-Tarabot achieved a 1:1 cost share match, unique for any project, much less one of this scale. The Iraq national government established a cash cost share fund, dedicat-ing US$ 30 million to continuing, expanding, and anchoring the initiatives brought forth by USAID-Tarabot. USAID-Tarabot’s many partner ministries and provinces have contributed additional resources as all levels of the government have seen the benefits for the Iraqi people.

PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT

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The Government of Iraq’s (GoI) remarkable commitment to USAID-Tarabot’s objectives and assistance has cemented a partnership that spans executive offices, ministries, and provinces throughout Iraq. By living up to the “linkages” that is USAID-Tarabot’s theme, this partnership has fostered an atmosphere of Iraqi ownership and commitment to long-term change in Iraq. Ministries and governorate offices are using modern systems promoted by USAID-Tarabot to build roads, schools, and other critical infrastructure. The Prime Minister’s Office and the Presidency are developing innovative public policies through offices and processes established with USAID-Tarabot’s assistance. In support of decentralized government in Iraq and in accordance with Article 45 of the Provincial Powers Law 21, USAID-Tarabot has garnered the confidence of some of Iraq’s oldest and most important ministries to take unprecedented steps in ceding some of their authorities to provincial governments.

DEMONSTRATED IRAQI COMMITMENT AND PARTNERSHIP


Through the broadening institution-alization of project management systems, procurement reforms, and project selection and planning, US-AID-Tarabot is working with the GoI to maximize its capital invest-ment budget to meet citizen needs and national development goals. In support of economic growth and job creation, innovative steps are being taken to vitalize the economy through the elimination of outdated and harmful regulations. To enable executive branches and ministries to meet the challenges of Iraqi so-ciety through principled and guided actions, USAID-Tarabot helped to

COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT

For eight years, USAID has collab-orated with the GoI to promote administrative reforms through the building of public management ca-pacities and systems, leaving behind a legacy of reform, effective change, and partnerships. In the final year of the project, USAID-Tarabot will an-chor the knowledge and systems it has provided within partnering enti-ties and leave the government with the capability to meet complex chal-lenges and improve its performance for years to come. At a time when many governments in the region are under pressure to meet citizen expectations, Iraq is among the few capable of responding to them. US-AID-Tarabot’s true legacy will be a foundation from which the GoI can build upon in the decades to come.

LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY

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establish policy units and provide the necessary tools, knowledge, and technical assistance to support gov-ernment capacities in policy devel-opment. To strengthen service deliv-ery and empower decision making at the local level, USAID-Tarabot works with central ministries, ministerial directorates, and governor’s offic-es to devolve authorities to where they most closely affect citizens. To bolster government accountability and service delivery, USAID-Tarabot introduced the One-Stop-Shop ser-

vice center model to make a tangi-ble impact on Iraq’s ability to pro-vide face-to-face citizen-oriented services. Through the overhaul and automation of the Social Safety Net, USAID-Tarabot has enabled the GoI to effectively reach its most vulnera-ble populations and combat poverty through efficient, fair, and transpar-ent systems.

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The most visible outcome of USAID-Tarabot’s assistance to the Ministry of Planning was the development and approval of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2013-2017. In order to achieve the targeted rate of growth and other ambitious development goals, the NDP calls for the investment of US$357 billion to imple-ment over 5,800 infrastructure projects. The plan calls for GoI public investment of US$282 billion, while the private sector is expected to invest a further US$75 billion. With the NDP, the Ministry of Planning seeks to achieve consistency and coordination in national development objectives.

The main features of the new NDP include:• Major investments in non-energy sectors including agriculture, industry, and tourism to support a diversified Iraqi economy,• Fostering job creation and decreasing unemployment to 6 percent by the end of 2017,• Raising the level of net enrollment in schools,• Reducing the percentage of the population living in poverty,• Upgrading health infrastructure,• Improving the integration and quality of life for vulnerable groups, and• Promoting sustainable environmental practices.

IRAQ’S 357 BILLION DOLLAR NATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2013 TO 2017:

USAID-TARABOT’S LEGACY

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FROM NATIONAL LEVEL TO LOCAL IMPACT:IMPROVING IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND DELIVERYNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANWith USAID-Tarabot’s assistance, the Ministry of Planning cre-ated the new National Development Plan. This strategic blue-print calls for $357 billion in Iraqi investments that will contrib-ute to the quality of life of everyday Iraqis.

MINISTRY LEVELTarabot works with ministries to improve procurement and project management systems. The GoI publicly announced 22 tenders for bidding, a 1,100% increase from a year ago. With USAID-Tarabot’s help, the Government of Iraq is piloting internationally-recognized project management systems on 50 capital investment projects. These crucial infrastructure projects will vastly improve the well being of Iraqis for years to come. Example projects include a power plant in Basrah, the recon-struction of the Sayyidet Al Najjat Church in Baghdad, and a water waste treatment plant in Babil.

PROVINCIAL LEVELProjects steering committees in Babil, Basrah, Diwaniyah, Muth-anna, and Ninawa coordinate between ministries and governor-ates’ offices to prioritize, select, and implement projects in their provinces. These committees include wide representation from governorates’ offices, ministerial directorates, academia, and civ-il society. USAID-Tarabot designed this committee model, es-tablished procedures, and introduced project selection criteria based on international best practices.

CITIZEN LEVELAt the local level, USAID-Tarabot introduced the One-Stop-Shop service center model, where paper-based services are streamlined so that same-day completion can be met. They have been adopted by various GoI entities, including:• Ministry of Justice, Notary Public Services,• Ministry of Municipalities, municipal services (water, elec-

tricity, local roads), and• Ministry of Migration and Displaced, internally displaced

person registration and benefits administration.

Iraqis recognize that their government has not provided the level of services of which it is capable, given its revenue resources. USAID-Tarabot is working with the GoI to help meet the expectations of Iraqi citizens through infra-structure project management. The current program is sharply marked by a transition from training halls and GoI offices to over 50 actual construction sites throughout the country. The sustainability and legacy of USAID-Tarabot’s efforts in this initiative is secured through the growing application and institutionalization of its reforms by part-nering entities. Its impact has not gone unnoticed–Diwaniyah residents now see a newly constructed secondary school on their morning commute, which itself was recently eased by the construction of a new roadway. In Babil, a water treatment plant is operational a month ahead of schedule, alleviating parent’s concerns about the water their children are drinking. In Basrah, one of the largest power plants in the country is under construction, bringing with it the promise of more hours of electricity each day. Notable examples among the constantly growing portfolio of GoI projects employing new project management systems include:

USAID-TARABOT CONTRIBUTES TO REVITALIZED IRAQI INFRASTRUCTURE

GoI Entity Project Name Location Value

Ministry of Electricity Al-Najibiya Power Plant Basrah US$ 271millionNinawa Governor’s Office Al-Najar Iqtisadiyeen Bridge Ninawa US$ 16 millionBabil Governor’s Office Wastewater Treatment Plant Babil US$ 12 millionNajaf Governor’s Office Al-Askareen Tunnel Najaf US$ 11.3 millionMinistry of Agriculture Refrigerated Crop Storage Warehouse Wasit US$ 2.5 millionMinistry of Migration and Displacement

Provincial Branch Office, serving IDPs Muthanna US$ 2 million

Diwaniyah Governor’s Office Secondary School Campus Diwaniyah US$ 1.5 millionMinistry of Construction and Housing

Sayyidat Al-Najat Church Baghdad US$ 600,000


CHALLENGE: Engineers in Babil province originally expected that a new water waste treatment plan would need 75 days to become operational and be connected to the existing water treatment network. During this time, sewage discharge would pass through unfiltered into the Euphrates River.

SOLUTION: Employing USAID-Tarabot’s suggested scheduling and estimation techniques, the governorate was able to reduce the costs, time, and resources needed to address major deficiencies in the project’s plan and to complete it in nearly half the ex-pected time. Engineers were able to reduce the gap in the time of unfiltered sewage by 30 days.

IMPACT: Approximately five million gallons of water pass through the water plant each day, positively impacting the health of Babil residents and neighboring provinces while contributing to responsible and sustainable environmental practices.

BABIL ADOPTS SYSTEMS AND IMPROVES WATER QUALITY

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CHALLENGE: Sayyidet Al Najjat, or Our Lady of Salvation Church, in Baghdad was gutted in a deadly terrorist attack in 2010. The attack sparked protests around the world. Like other faiths in Iraq dislocated by the violence, Christians were losing the belief they could safely worship again. The Ministry of Construction and Housing pledged to rehabilitate the church. The ministry began work on this sensitive US$ 2 million project in 2012; however, several segments of the project had fallen behind schedule.

SOLUTION: With USAID-Tarabot’s expertise, the Ministry of Construction and Housing was able to speed up the completion of renovations by using state-of-the-art project management software to develop aggressive timelines and stringent allocation of resources.

IMPACT: A parish of over 300 Iraqis is able to once again worship in a fully-rehabilitated church.

RESTORING FAITH: ENGINEERS REBUILD IRAQ’S OUR LADY OF SALVATION CHURCH

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CHALLENGE: The Ministry of Electric-ity’s Al Najibiyah power station in Basrah is projected to provide an extra 500kw of power to Iraq to close the gap between Iraq’s supply and demand; however, even small shifts in market prices for materials, labor timelines, and other unexpected setbacks can have detrimental effects on the implementation of a complex US$ 271 million project.

SOLUTION: With the intervention of Tarabot to establish realistic timelines for project activities and the training of Min-istry of Electricity engineers on standard monitoring and control systems, the min-istry was able to manage project variance, respond to material and labor change re-quests, and project performance that will enable its completion on schedule.

IMPACT: Iraqis in Basrah and on the na-tional grid will have a few more hours of electricity per day.

TURNING ON THE LIGHTS: MAKING GOOD ON PROM-ISES OF MORE ELECTRICITY

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It is nice to be recognized as among the first PMP certified engineers in the government, but it is the practical application of these skills that actual-ly makes the difference. With USAID-Tarabot’s help, these systems are more widely understood, and now being applied to entire projects.

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Mrs. Israa FadhilMoCH Engineer


The rigorous study and honed skill set required to achieve Project Management Professional (PMP) certification makes candidates among the most coveted in both the public and private sectors. The PMI’s online registry indicat-ed that there were fewer than 20 certified PMPs throughout Iraq at the beginning of the USAID-Tarabot project. With Tarabot’s training and assistance, the GoI is poised to see that figure rise steeply for years to come.

Several of USAID-Tarabot’s GoI partners have sought out private sector providers in the region to continue the PMP training and certification process:

GoI Entity Location Budget # of Trainees DateMinistry of Oil Lebanon US$ 75,000 25 October 2013Diwaniyah Erbil-Iraq US$ 26,000 24 September 2013Anbar Lebanon US$ 39,000 14 October 2013Wasit Lebanon US$ 31,000 15 September 2013Dhi Qar Lebanon US$ 30,000 10 October 2013

CERTIFICATIONS LEAVE AN INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED LEGACY

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Numerous GoI entities have began tendering their businesses publicly thanks to USAID-Tarabot’s efforts to strengthen Iraq’s procurement systems. International and local firms alike are now able to compete for contracts through a fair and transparent process. With contracts awarded ranging from a few thou-sand dollars to an excess of US$ 1 billion, the Iraqi public procurement system is unquestionably working to provide better services and struc-tures for the Iraqi people.

NO LONGER BUSINESS AS USUAL: PUBLIC PROCUREMENT REFORM

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• Many of Basrah’s sewerage net-works are undersized and not integrated; thus, they frequently clog and are exposed to open air, creating unsanitary con-ditions for many citizens. US-AID-Tarabot assisted the Basrah Governorate’s Office to release a tender for the design of a city sewage and storm water collec-tion system.

IMPACT: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN GOI TENDERS ISSUED ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES

• In December 2012, the Babil Governorate’s Office awarded a contract for over US$ 28 million to reconstruct residential areas of Al Hillah city, the capital of Babil province. The tender was awarded to an American con-struction firm headquartered in California after the Governor-ate’s Office posted the tender online in October 2012.

• The Iraqi Ministry of Trans-portation’s State Company for Maritime Transport, with US-AID-Tarabot’s assistance, re-leased several tenders valued at over US$ 385 million for the procurement of maritime ves-sels including eight heavy trans-ports for Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main shipping port which handles the country’s grain and heavy equip-ment shipments.

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The USAID-Tarabot program helped the ministry implement the Social Safety Net system, which now serves over 850,000 needy families. It has saved the Iraqi government over US$ 30 million by excluding about 37,000 duplicate beneficiary entries. We look forward to putting these savings towards initiatives to benefit the truly needy.

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Mr. Nassar RubaieMinister of Labor and Social Affairs

USAID-Tarabot works with GoI partners to strengthen the delivery of public services to Iraq’s citizens. All of our partner ministries serve key segments of Iraq’s population—the poor, students, elderly, displaced persons, laborers, orphans, wid-ows, and more. USAID-Tarabot’s integrated approach to service delivery improvement includes streamlining processes, automation, promoting customer service, and supporting the One-Stop-Shop service center model.

PUBLIC SERVICE IMPROVEMENT

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USAID-Tarabot introduced the One-Stop-Shop service center concept to make a rapid and tangible impact on Iraq’s struggle to deliver public services. With USAID-Tarabot’s help, the GoI is reshaping the way citizen services will be de-livered for years to come.

ONE-STOP-SHOP INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN DEVELOPED: USAID-Tarabot’s modern design reflects the principles of linear business flow, customer comfort, and easy access for physically disabled persons.

ONE-STOP-SHOPS UNDERWAY IN 2014: Municipal Services in Ramadi, Diwaniyah, and Kut; Notary Publics in Baghdad; and Social Safety Net Offices in Najaf and Dahuk.

ONE-STOP-SHOP NATIONALLY ENDORSED: The Council of Ministers issued an official endorsement of the One-Stop-Shop model to all government entities, encouraging them to establish these centers as a means of improving ser-vices, and as appropriate to each entity’s mandate.

ONE-STOP-SHOP SERVICE CENTERS: IMPROVED CITIZEN SERVICES IN THE GOI SPOTLIGHT

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USAID-Tarabot helped create and support Iraq’s new policy development offices to address critical issues facing its citi-zens. These policy offices and bureaus in the GoI have drafted a number of key policies and carried out targeted regula-tory reforms. They’ve also facilitated broad outreach and engagement with all segments of Iraqi society from the general public to experts and academics. This marks a stark improvement in Iraq’s policymaking process.

PUBLIC POLICY SOLUTIONS FOR CRUCIAL IRAQI ISSUES

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WHAT GOES INTO THE POLICY PROCESS?

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WHAT GOES INTO THE POLICY PROCESS?


CHALLENGE: Unemployment in Iraq spiked in 1988 and has remained high since. Youth unemployment poses a par-ticular challenge with an increasing number of young people without jobs and opportunities, and prone to crime and violence.

SOLUTION: With USAID-Tarabot’s help, Iraq has drafted a policy paper to better frame this issue, identify strategies to mitigate it, and offer solutions. The paper details the distinct employment challenges facing educated and uneducated youths, as well as urban and rural youths. The policy paper recommends the strengthening of the private sector, enabled through regulatory and legal reforms, to address this problem.

A REMEDY FOR YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

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CHALLENGE: Over the past decades, thousands of Iraqi academics left Iraq due to oppression, instability, and lack of op-portunities. Many have degrees from top schools in America, Europe, and the Middle East and are working in professions that Iraq desperately needs. Many wish to return to their country to be part of its rebirth, but an outdated law restricted the accreditation of foreign degrees.

SOLUTION: Policy advisors trained by USAID-Tarabot from the Presidency Diwan drafted an innovative new policy to incentivize the return of Iraq’s émigré academics. The dissolution of the 1976 law that prohibited the accreditation of foreign degrees was chief among the policy’s recommendations for reform. In response to this policy, the Council of Ministers amended Decree 441, one of the laws that restricts accreditation of foreign degrees. The policy also petitions several hundred Iraqi academics to consider returning for a trial period.

BRAIN GAIN: BRINGING IRAQI ACADEMICS HOME

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CHALLENGE: Thousands of children are left homeless and displaced all over Iraq as the immediate result of conflict, poverty, abandonment, and a lack of interest on the part of the government to address their social plight.

SOLUTION: With USAID-Tarabot’s guidance and assistance, policy-makers in the Presidency Diwan drafted a policy paper to addres this challenge. The paper analyzed national statistics on street children, current laws and regulations, and existing research. The bureau identified and engaged with numerous key stakeholders to develop and implement practical remedies. Stakeholders include the Ministries of Labor and Social Affairs, Human Rights, Education, Migration and Displacement, Planning, and Justice.

HELPING IRAQ’S MOST MARGINALIZED: HOMELESS ORPHANS

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CHALLENGE: Iraq’s economy is overly dependant on its energy sector. In 2013, USAID-Tarabot advisors assisted the Ministry of Industry and Mineral’s newly-established policy unit to design the Iraqi Revival Program for Industrialization policy, which aims to diversify Iraq’s economic base by revitalizing the manufacturing sector through support for small and medium-size enterprises.

SOLUTION: With assistance from USAID-Tarabot’s advisors, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral’s policy unit developed a logical framework for the program, a three-pronged intervention design, and indicators and sources of verification at the objective, outcome, and output levels.

THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY ENGINEERS IRAQ’S INDUSTRIAL REVITALIZATION

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We look at regulatory reform, led by the central government and private sector to innovate, energize, and create wealth in Iraq. Outdated and harmful regulations must go if we are to achieve the results that Iraq needs.

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Mr. Scott JacobsSenior Regulatory Reform Advisor

With over 25,000 laws and ministerial decrees on the books dating back decades, Iraq’s legal framework hinders the delivery of services and the enabling of a business-friendly environment. USAID-Tarabot’s Iraq Solutions for Regulatory and Administrative Reform (ISRAR) program works with the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council (PMAC) and other high level government and private sector partners to launch a national review of regulations and alleviate problems that hold back economic growth, while building a long-term strategy and capacity for comprehensive regulatory reform.

REGULATORY REFORM



Business Registration in IraqBefore and After


The Ministry of Trade, with assistance from the USAID-Tarabot ISRAR program, implemented a series of regulatory re-forms and improved the process for registering a new company or business. ISRAR reforms have eliminated layers of bu-reaucracy, including unnecessary waiting periods, inspections, and document requirements. These changes have reduced the processing time to register a new company in Iraq by at least 20 days. Applicants can now review the status of their applications online without having to repeatedly follow-up in person at the ministry.

ENABLING NEW BUSINESSES AND EMPOWERING IRAQ’S PRIVATE SECTOR

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CHALLENGE: In Iraq, construction permits are difficult to secure. Depending on the size and location of the project, a prospective builder may require between 30 and 50 separate approvals from bureaucrats and technicians in ministerial and provincial offices.

SOLUTION: In consultation with several ministries, ISRAR developed a set of reforms that include the transferring of ap-proval authorities to local government offices for building permits less than 1000m2, assigning a single employee to handle an application from start to finish, and granting automatic approvals to builders if a decision is not reached by a certain deadline.

STREAMLINING CONSTRUCTION PERMITS

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Decentralization has long been a topic for discussion in Iraq. Un-der USAID-Tarabot, those discus-sions have graduated to hundreds of practical steps. At the start of US-AID-Tarabot, provincial representa-tives of central ministries were not allowed to approve their employees’ vacation requests without explicit approval from Baghdad, much less manage bank accounts or authorize repairs for broken water pipelines. With help from USAID-Tarabot’s decentralization initiative, Iraq’s leaders are shifting responsibilities out of Baghdad, and speeding up decisionmaking to resolve Iraq’s ad-ministrative, economic, and social issues.

Newly-Decentralized Government Functions GoI PartnerOpen and manage local bank accounts, authorize the purchase of equipment and stationery.

Ministry of Youth and Sport

Approve staff vacation and other leave, purchase stationery and fuel, as well as publish documents.

Ministry of Environment

Approve staff requests for local travel, conduct interoffice correspondence, and issue recommendation and appreciation letters to staff.

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs

Increase municipal spending limits from US$ 43,000 to US$ 86,000 for operations, maintenance, and repair issues.

Ministry of Municipalities

Authorize provincial directorates to exercise more financial authorities, including transfers between different parts of the operational budget.

Ministry of Education

UNPRECEDENTED STEPS TOWARDS DECENTRALIZED GOVERNANCE

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While USAID-Tarabot’s assistance has focused on the nuts and bolts of decentralization, the project has also made some indirect yet significant contributions to Iraq’s national decentralization framework. This is evident in the 2013 revision to Law 21, or the Provincial Powers Act, Iraq’s key piece of decentralization legislation. In August 2013, Iraq’s parliament passed a revised Law 21 that adopted a significantly stronger tone for decentralization, and clarified and rectified many of the law’s most lingering constraints and hindrances. In several instances, clauses and language present in the law reiterated USAID-Tarabot’s recommendations to its partners in the Governors’ Offices.

EMPOWERING NATIONAL DECENTRALIZATION EFFORTS

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OF IRAQGOVERNMENT


DECENTRALIZATIONEFFORTS


USAID’s eight years of broad assistance in public and administrative reform is leaving behind a foundation of innovation and efficiency as the Iraqi government continues to pursue reforms, policy development, and the building of critical infrastructure. Working in partnership with government entities to provide USAID assistance to the GoI, USAID-Tarabot is ensuring the sustainability and legacy of the most complex and comprehensive public management program in USAID’s history.

SUSTAINABILITY AND LEGACY


U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20523-6100www.usaid.gov

USAID/Iraq - Tarabot: Partnership Focused

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