Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) SOUTH ASIA | Afghanistan | Governance Global Practice | Recipient Executed Activities | Technical Assistance Loan | FY 2012 | Seq No: 13 | ARCHIVED on 13-Mar-2017 | ISR27293 | Implementing Agencies: Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date:11-Dec-2011 Effectiveness Date:21-Jan-2012 Planned Mid Term Review Date:20-Jan-2014 Actual Mid-Term Review Date:20-Jan-2014 Original Closing Date:31-Dec-2017 Revised Closing Date:31-Dec-2017 Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The project's development objective is to assist the government in improving the capacity and performance of select line ministriesin carrying out their mandates and delivering services to the Afghan people. This will be achieved through the implementation of specific capacity and institution building programs, which include systematic monitoring of and reporting on results. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? Yes Board Approved Revised Project Development Objective (If project is formally restructured)PHRPDODEL To improve the capacity and performance of priority line ministries and independent agencies in selected reform areas. Components Name Technical Assistance Facility in Support of Civil Service Reform:(Cost $15.00 M) Building Human Resources:(Cost $123.00 M) Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost $12.00 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO  Moderately Satisfactory  Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP)  Moderately Satisfactory  Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating  High  High 3/13/2017 Page 1 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Capacity Building for Results (CBR) Project's development objective is “to assist the government in improving the capacity and performance of select line ministries in carrying out their mandates and delivering services to the Afghan people.” The Project Development Objective (PDO) indicators are largely to be achieved by improving capacity and performance of line ministries through the provision of skilled civil servants to implement ministries’ reform programs. CBR is a ministry-wide program through which ministries can apply to develop a comprehensive reform plan, which is supported based upon progress on reform implementation and service delivery results. The program provides ministries with the opportunity to recruit high capacity staff into critical posts at salaries closer to the market rates. The aim is to increase on-budget service delivery and reduce reliance upon the so- called “second civil service”, i.e., national consultants conducting government functions. CBR supports on-going public administration reforms across government, training for selected civil servants, and limited technical assistance to support ministry reforms. Overall progress towards achievement of the development objective had been slow over the first 3-4 years of project implementation. This was largely due to aspects of the project design, capacity issues, and political-economic factors. Establishing a comprehensive program with robust entry criteria, an appropriate salary scale and the necessary management systems was a complex undertaking given the environment. As highlighted in the Mid-Term Review (MTR) of January-February 2014, the pace of project implementation therefore required significant acceleration to reach the Project objectives within the targeted time frame. Consequently, the project was restructured on April 25, 2016 (approved by ARTF Management Committee on May 15, 2016) to increase the likelihood of achieving the PDO and to ensure efficient utilization of project resources Restructuring introduced the following key changes to the project: (a) Change in the Project Development Objective and revision of the Results Monitoring Framework to reflect the new scope of the project; (b) Change in implementation arrangement to introduce more flexibility and simplify the process for accessing project resources; (c) Change to the financing plan by reallocating resources across project components and cancelling part of the original amount approved for the project; and (d) Change in project design by dropping Component 3: Civil Service Training, and streamlining the scope of activities supported under other components to reflect the proposed financing envelope. Restructuring changes have contributed to considerable improvements in performance and an accelerated pace of implementation. Progress made since Restructuring changes were enacted include improved access to CBR for line ministries with CBR Proposals (CBRPs) now approved for eleven (11) of thirteen (13) priority ministries, and the remaining completed and awaiting approval. One key output of CBRPs is the recruitment of high capacity staff into critical posts at salaries closer to the market rates. 931 of these positions have now been selected, with 328 so far contracted and this number expected to reach 800 by end-April 2017. The Project further supports training for selected civil servants, and through the Afghan Civil Service Institute (ASCI), it has conducted two pilot trainings, one for Senior Management Groups (SMGs) and another for HR Directors. The Project also supports 14- month Mid-level Management Development Programs (MMD), the first batch of which has now concluded. This program is the equivalent of a two-year work experience that will allow graduates to qualify for accelerated promotion to mid-level manager level across the civil service. As a result of the above-captured implementation progress, made since the enactment of Restructuring changes, Project Ratings assessed by the Mid- Term Review were in September 2016 upgraded from "Moderately Unsatisfactory" to “Moderately Satisfactory” for both "Progress towards achievement of PDO" and "Overall Implementation Progress. These ratings continue to hold given that while the CBR recruitment procedure has been substantially shortened, there continues to be a lag between the number of positions advertised, selected and contracted; the quality of recruitment and its overall linkage to ministry-level reforms is another key area requiring improvement. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating 3/13/2017 Page 2 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) Political and Governance  --  High  High Macroeconomic  --  High  High Sector Strategies and Policies  --  High  High Technical Design of Project or Program  --  Moderate  Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability  --  High  High Fiduciary  --  Substantial  Substantial Environment and Social  --  Low  Low Stakeholders  --  High  High Other  --  --  -- Overall  --  High  High Results Project Development Objective Indicators PHINDPDOTBL  Proposed: Priority line ministries and independent agencies development budget execution improves to at least 60% (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 30.00 59.00 59.60 60.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 PHINDPDOTBL  Proposed: Priority line ministries and independent agencies that have implemented at least 2 business process simplifications planned in their CBRP (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 5.00 5.00 13.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 PHINDPDOTBL  Proposed: Civil service positions recruited by CBR (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 230.00 328.00 1,500.00 Date 31-Dec-2011 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 3/13/2017 Page 3 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) Comments Selections have been completed for 931 CBR positions (including selection of 54 women). Of these, 742 have been submitted for quality screening; 617 have been quality screened; and 427 have been cleared for contract signing i.e. an additional 99 contracts are ready for contract signing. Factoring in packages not yet quality screened or not yet submitted by LMAs for quality screening, IARCSC expects to be able to sign a total of 600 contracts by end-March 2017 and 800 contracts by end-April 2017. The target of 1,500 contracts by end-December 2017 is fully expected to be met. This expectation factors in potential changes (re-prioritization) to be made by LMAs following the recent cap on their allocations, and is based on a total of 2,355 job descriptions (well beyond the current target of 1,500 positions) having already been advertised and in various stages of process. The target for CBR positions filled by women (450 positions or 30%) is however not expected to be met with achievement to date around 5% (15 positions). Measures agreed during the March 2017 mission are expected to increase achievement to 10% (150 positions) by current project closing. PHINDPDOTBL  Civil service positions recruited by CBR filled by women (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 2.00 15.00 450.00 Date 31-Dec-2011 21-Mar-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 Overall Comments Intermediate Results Indicators PHINDIRITBL  Priority line ministries and independent agencies which have CBRPs (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 8.00 11.00 13.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 21-Mar-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 Comments CBRPs for ARAZI and the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP) are presently at approval stage. 11 Category 2 LMAs have also developed CBRPs, of which 5 have been approved by the project’s Steering Committee. The project’s M&E Firm has helped to revise the CBRP format and is currently engaged across 13 LMAs, to assist the reform of CBRPs into the new format. The new CBRP format helps LMAs to cost CBRPs and better link CBR resources (including 3/13/2017 Page 4 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) recruitment) to CBRP reform targets, including LMA restructuring and business process improvements. Six to eight (6-8) reformed CBRPs are expected to be prepared by end-March 2017. PHINDIRITBL  Civil servants trained through Mid-level Management Development Program (MMD) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 93.00 93.00 200.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 Comments The first batch of MMD covering 93 participants (including 40% women) has successfully concluded. The second batch (including 50% women) will commence by end-April 2017. PHINDIRITBL  Grievance redress mechanism implemented (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value N Y Y Y Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 PHINDIRITBL  Proposed: Civil servants in priority ministries recruited for provinces (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 25.00 35.00 15.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 Comments Of total advertised CBR positions to date, 44% are for provinces. Of total selected CBR positions to date, 55% (511) are for provinces. 3/13/2017 Page 5 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) PHINDIRITBL  Proposed: Number of ministries which have completed pay and grading. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 8.00 23.00 23.00 22.00 Date 21-Jan-2012 07-Sep-2016 08-Mar-2017 31-Dec-2017 Comments This target has been met. Overall Comments Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed Disbursed P123845 TF-11447 Effective USD 100.00 100.00 0.00 54.51 45.49 55% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P123845 TF-11447 Effective 21-Jan-2012 21-Jan-2012 21-Jan-2012 31-Dec-2017 31-Dec-2017 Cumulative Disbursements 3/13/2017 Page 6 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Afghanistan Capacity Building for Results Facility (CBR) (P123845) Restructuring History Level 1 Approved on 25-Apr-2016 Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 3/13/2017 Page 7 of 7 Public Disclosure Copy