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Lesson
The political economy of the country as well as of the local areas where projects are to be sited needs to be thoroughly understood and considered in the design of projects. The project assumptions that institutional and financial reforms would be adopted within a reasonable time frame and that demand for the improved water supply services could be established in Kosrae state proved false. Project preparation could have supported a more thorough understanding of the political economy, and the scope based on a stronger rationale and expressed demand.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
A well-thought-out project communications plan, backed by local capacity building, is needed for the successful implementation of projects in FSM. Information is often not widely shared in the FSM, and securing support for reforms can be particularly complex in this context. The Chuuk Public Utilities Corporation was able to effectively carry out its communications and outreach activities and secure support for reforms with the help of a well-defined operation, maintenance, and management contract. Project delays affected the momentum of activities in the other three states.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
The ability of all participating utilities to successfully adopt and implement organizational changes to meet the project requirements should be assessed, with specialized external support in utility management provided as necessary.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
The risks posed by conditions for loan effectiveness and disbursements should be carefully assessed and considered in the project timeline. Project implementation was delayed by about 18 months as the conditions for loan effectiveness required the passage of appropriation bills in the National Congress and at least three of four state legislatures. Such projects can provide the required pressure for positive legal changes but can lead to startup delays.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
A narrow sector and geographic focus is more suitable for projects in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). In FSM, multistate and multisector projects bring added complexity and interdependence between institutions that do not otherwise have incentives to support each other. Future projects should consider a narrower focus in terms of sector and geographic scope, allowing for less dispersed efforts on physical and nonphysical project targets. This approach has been adopted for the ongoing Chuuk Water Supply and Sanitation Project.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Timelines for policy changes and major reforms should also be realistic, knowing that building understanding and ownership can take time and the passage of legislation can be a lengthy process. Two municipalities declined to participate in the project because of their objection to the transfer of ownership and management of assets to a state government agency.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Lack of tariffs and insufficient operation and maintenance (O&M) budgets threaten the sustainability of water supply and sanitation facilities in FSM. The water supply and wastewater components are unlikely to be sustainable because of the unwillingness to charge for services, and the insufficiency of annual O&M budgets.

Project Number: 35448-013
Project Name: Omnibus Infrastructure Development Project
Report Date:
Lesson
An adequate assessment is needed when setting targets. This project had a few design challenges that could not be addressed during implementation. For the target of serving 3,000 households with new water supply connections and 4,500 with improved ones, financing was not included in the approved project, so could never be achieved. The target of serving 25,000 households with sewer connections was ambitious, as only about 13,680 households would get these connections based on the final engineering designs.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Bidding documents should incorporate specific provisions requiring permanent local representative from foreign contractors to avoid construction delays. The performance of the contractors for the Birgunj ISWM and the Kavre Valley Water Supply Subproject was unsatisfactory in part because they had no local representative.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Continuity of services of experienced project staff is essential. The project director and account officer positions at the project coordination office experienced high turnover, which affected overall performance, including of project financial management, as evidenced by the outstanding recurring audit issues and multiple delayed submissions.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Careful selection of nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to be engaged in projects will be beneficial particularly for the poor and vulnerable. Implementation of gender equality and social activities was closely linked to NGO performance quality, which varied significantly among the 3 NGOs engaged by the project. The NGO in Biratnagar demonstrates what can be achieved by a well-performing NGO.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Adequate stakeholder consultations, conducted at all project stages, are essential to building consensus and preventing tensions and disagreements from negatively affecting implementation.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Projects require an in-depth assessment of ownership and use of land. Procurement for the Butwal auto village subprojects (AVS) was severely delayed by land ownership issues. The automobile enterprises were located on land leased from the municipality intended only for establishment of automobile enterprises, but the entrepreneurs used the land for business and residential purposes. These entrepreneurs were skeptical that their existing land uses could continue if they entered into a public-private partnership agreement, and thus protested the AVS.

Project Number: 36188-023
Project Name: Secondary Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project
Report Date:
Lesson
Effective and efficient utilization of project funds allocated for training and capacity building, in parallel with recruiting additional staff, will enhance the capability and practices of existing staff at the project management and implementation units.

Project Number: 42489-043
Project Name: Water Supply and Sanitation Services Investment Program (Tranche 1)
Report Date:
Lesson
If requirements on submission of audited project financial statements are properly formulated and covenanted, made realistic, and firmly understood by the executing agency, and timely actions are taken, they will ensure satisfactory implementation of financial covenants.

Project Number: 42489-043
Project Name: Water Supply and Sanitation Services Investment Program (Tranche 1)
Report Date: