In 2011, USAID/Ethiopia had a budget of more than $1 billion. Within that sum was the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) totaling $199 million, development and emergency food aid at $482 million, and a portion of the $1.64 billion “Feed the Future” program.

The project is designed to establish results-oriented management to produce effective data use and analysis. The project team provides technical assistance to help organize USAID/Ethiopia to implement the newly-updated Agency-wide Evaluation Policy in order to ensure that learning is fed back into program development.

MSI’s approach is based on local capacity building, among a wide range of partners, including local NGOs and government ministries. The project will identify local firms that are capable of providing M&E support and IT services to USAID over the long term.

EPMS will support the implementation of a Web-based performance management system, assist the USAID field office to implement the USAID Evaluation Policy, and provide training and capacity building support to USAID/Ethiopia and its partners. EPMS offices will include an in-country training facility.

MSI is working closely with the USAID Chief Information Officer’s Knowledge Management team (CIO/KM) in order to support their rollout of a new Web-based Mission portfolio management system, dubbed “AIDTracker.” MSI is developing a series of technologies and processes to structure, organise and prepare Mission data for loading into AIDTracker. In the lead-up to the rollout of AIDTracker, the Mission will develop interim tools for monitoring and managing their portfolio.

The project is also developing Performance Management Plans (PMPs) with each of the Mission’s offices. This includes indicators to monitor the effectiveness of field activities. The gathered data will help to influence management’s decision-making. It will be shared with all staff members throughout USAID/Ethiopia.