USAID Green Annamites Project

By December, 2020, the GA has reduced, sequestered and/or avoided 7.48 MT CO2 (planned 6 MT); established 21 CFM Plans, improved natural resource management of 512,000 ha (planned 400,000 ha); worked with more than 200 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to improve business development plans, business development services, marketing, good housekeeping practices, productivity, traceability, intellectual property, geo-indication and mobilized US$ 21.6 million (planned US$ 20 million) from public, private and community sources for scaling up sustainable livelihoods and forest conservation interventions; and, eventually increased economic benefits of more than 25,000 people (planned 20,000 people).

Further information can be accessed from https://www.usaid.gov/vietnam. In addition, visitors are welcome to  access to the Knowledge Portal of the Project at http://elearning.truongsonxanh.net. username: truongsonxanh; password: Abc@123456. Also, access to marketplace where local farmers are selling their products at  http://fip.truongsonxanh.net/ and http://chonongsan.truongsonxanh.net/#/  . Download app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gfd.tsx&hl=en . If you want to access to Forest Monitoring System (FMS) for Quang Nam, visit http://fmsqn.truongsonxanh.net; for Thua Thien Hue, visit https://fmshue.truongsonxanh.net/login.html. Username: truongsonxanh; Password: (please contact me). This FMS is the high-tech forest change monitoring system with the function of automatically detecting deforestation areas in 10 days; SMS to be sent to forest rangers and forest owners as well as provides remote sensing maps (Sentinel), and other information (e.g. FSC certified forest areas).

 

USAID Based Procurement

I have four years’ experience on USAID based procurement and sub-award management under the USAID Green Annamites (GA) Program. I managed facilitated more than a dozens of grant and sub-contract awards in close collaboration with the Activity Fund team of the GA Program.  I also directly managed four awards relating green finance fund, saw-log and FSC acacia plantation, wood processing industry, sustainable forestry management as well as more than 20 international and national STTA consultants. On behalf of the Program’s management team, I was in charge of the program’s performance on “Quality”. The Program was rated as the “Very good” category by USAID under the 2019 Contract Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS). To enable me to have better knowledge and skills on USAID-based Procurement and Sub-Award Management, I took an on-month online training workshop provided by Humentum (see Figure…). Through this course, I did not only help strengthen my knowledge and skills on USAID Acquisition Regulation (AIDAR), but also allow me to contribute more efficiently to the success of the GA Program.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and DIS systems

I had more than 10 years’ experience in designing, developing and managing the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) for different sustainable development programs. Together with the inputs from M&E Specialists, I worked with different clients to ensure proper monitoring, data quality assessment (DQA), evaluation, reporting and knowledge management (KM). We developed MEL plan, designed monitoring and evaluation system and integrate our existing M&E system into the Development Information Solutions (DIS) initiated by USAID (see Figure below). In addition, I worked with different implementing partners and the project’s team members to conduct performance assessment and impact evaluation for the program. I also worked with MEL specialist to upload data and reports to the TrainNET, Development Experience Clearinghouse.

Under the GMS-CEP, I provided technical inputs to design M&E indicators for the Biodiversity Landscapes and Livelihoods Component; conducted the baseline assessment of the key non-timber forest product (NTFP) value chains in six GMS countries as well as the mid-term evaluation of the GMS-CEP-Phase 2 in 2015 in close collaboration with the National Support Units of six GMS countries. Under the SUFORD, I provided technical support to formulate M&E indicators and targets for the Sustainable Forest and Village Development Component. I also led the M&E team to successfully conduct the livelihood impact assessment of the of the SUFORD in 2012.

In addition, I served as the Team Leader for the post-evaluation of Local Economic Development (using “Compass Tool”) for the VIE 023 Quang Dien Local Development Project, Hue, Vietnam, funded by the Government of Luxembourg. I also played a Team-Leader role to conduct ex-post monitoring and evaluation for Microfinance Scheme on handicraft Market Development Project in Aluoi district, T.T. Hue, Vietnam, funded by the Indigenous People Fund of the World Bank (Grantee ID: 803642).

I enhanced his M&E knowledge through two comprehensive official training courses on M&E Public Policy Monitoring and Evaluation (under my PhD Program) and Monitoring and Evaluation for Development Projects (under my Master Program). As a result, I designed an M&E Framework to measure of the PFES Policy in Vietnam (See Figure xxx). I also completed the Intermediate Quantitative Method course with the outstanding result (A+ score under the Master Program). These theory knowledge and empirical skills have enabled me to be competent M&E professional.

Note: H1, H2, H3 are three hypotheses that the PhD research tested.

(Source: PhD Dissertation of Do Dang Teo, 2019)