Page 1 INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: AC3557 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 04/01/2008 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Liberia Project ID: P107248 Project Name: Economic Governance & Institutional Reform Task Team Leader: Emmanuel Doe Fiadzo Estimated Appraisal Date: March 28, 2008 Estimated Board Date: May 13, 2008 Managing Unit: AFTP4 Lending Instrument: Technical Assistance Loan Sector: General public administration sector (95%);Mining and other extractive (5%) Theme: Administrative and civil service reform (P);Public expenditure, financial management and procurement (P);Other environment and natural resources management (S) IBRD Amount (US$m.): 0.00 IDA Amount (US$m.): 11.00 GEF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 PCF Amount (US$m.): 0.00 Other financing amounts by source: BORROWER/RECIPIENT 0.00 0.00 B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN] The Project Development Objective is to improve the efficiency and transparency in managing public financial and human resources. C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN] This component is intended to assist Liberia to address immediate technical assistance needs to consolidate gains in governance and institutional reforms under GEMAP, further strengthen PFM processes and systems, and facilitate graduation from the temporary remedial measures being implemented under it. Specifically, this project component will: (a) continue assistance to the MoF’s Resource Management Unit through funding for: three procurement/financial management specialists to support the work of the Technical Secretariat of the Cash Management Committee; three key policy advisers in the MoF; supporting the implementation of the updated Public Financial Management Law and regulations; strengthening of the payment system; upgrading of the existing computer network and accounting software in MoF; and establishment of basic payment capability in selected counties; Page 2 (b) assist the Government in strengthening the MoF’s Financial Management Training School, which became operational in February 2007; (c) provide specialized technical assistance to fill critical institutional capacity gaps to implement public procurement reforms, including support for the PPCC and key Ministries and Agencies, local business procurement development and support for the professionalization of the public procurement function. It will also provide support to strengthen the capacity of the Liberian Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) to implement procurement activities in sectors such as education, health and urban works, through delegation, on a case by case basis, by line ministries of management responsibility for small or medium-size contracts. Other elements of the public procurement reform effort are being financed in parallel by the Public Procurement Reform LICUS Trust Fund grant which was approved in 2004. (d) consolidate and strengthen the tax administration reform efforts by implementing a new computerized Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS); (e) support mining sector financial management and governance; and (f) train, support and equip a new team of auditors within the General Auditing Commission (GAC) in order to strengthen the government’s external audit function and strengthen the capacity of the Ways and Means Committees to ensure proper scrutiny of the execution of the budget. ii) Supporting the Civil Service Reform Program ( $2.5 million) This component will support the design and implementation of the Government’s civil service reform program which is critical for the sustainable improvement of public service provision in the country. The immediate priorities of this program are: (i) launching of a performance contract based Senior Executive Service to address short-term capacity needs; (ii) the design of a comprehensive civil service reform program to rebuild a basic capability in the civil service to deliver basic services; (iii) reducing fraud in the payroll and pensions system and better control future personnel hiring; and (iv) rebuilding skills in the civil service through training. This project component will focus on the last two priorities, namely: (a) better control of payroll through the purchase, installation and customization of a computerized Human Resource Management Information System linked to the payroll system in the MoF; and (b) rehabilitation of training capacity for the civil service by strengthening the Liberian Institute of Public Administration (LIPA). As indicated above, this assistance complements the support provided by the Bank through the Emergency Senior Executive Program project (US$2.3 million equivalent) approved in October 2007 and a US$900,000 LICUS Trust Fund grant for launching a performance contract based Senior Executive Service (SES) program and designing a comprehensive civil service reform program, respectively. D. Project location (if known) The project will be implemented in Liberia. Oversight of the project will be carried out in Liberia by a National Steering Committee chaired by the Ministry of Finance and with membership comprised of representatives from the various beneficiary agencies - Civil Service Agency (CSA), Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), General Auditing Commission (GAC), Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, LIPA and UL, and development partners. E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN] Page 3 Not Applicable F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Ms Nina Chee (AFTEN) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01) X Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) X Forests (OP/BP 4.36) X Pest Management (OP 4.09) X Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) X Indigenous Peoples (OP/BP 4.10) X Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) X Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) X Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP 7.50) X Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP 7.60) X Environmental Category: C - Not Required III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS would be prepared: N/A B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage ISDS: 04/03/2008 C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing 1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS. No SGP specialist required if project remains as defined in PCN and ISDS. Later, should project involve land acquisition, construction, or potential environmental or social impacts, consult ASPEN 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons. Page 4 IV. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Task Team Leader: Mr Emmanuel Doe Fiadzo 03/28/2008 Approved by: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Mr Warren Waters 03/28/2008 Comments: From a social safeguard policies, the C category is fully justified. As stated in the project document, the project aims at developing a new system of Government based on accountability, transparency Sector Manager: Ms Antonella Bassani 03/28/2008 Comments: