a. Agree. The delivery model for a. No further action required 3. Program level planning, management AECSP is based on a partnership and governance involving management of the program by ASEC and AusAID is committed to a. Continue to be guided by ASEC continuing supporting this approach. management guidelines on issues such as reporting, human resources, financial b. Agree. AusAID agrees with the b. No further action required management and transparency in FJC response that the Economic procurement and evaluation of program Cooperation Budget Sub-Committee supported activities. may raise technical concerns to relevant subsidiary bodies or to FJC. b. Clarify budget sub-committee c. The FJC will actively monitor the c. FJC and Economic c. Agree. AusAID notes the responsibilities and authority in addressing development of quality economic Cooperation Budget any concerns they may have about importance of ensuring high quality cooperation proposals for AECSP funding, ECWP proposals. AusAID further proposals that have already been endorsed including the role of the Economic notes the standard of the proposals by relevant FJC sub-committees. Cooperation Budget Sub-Committee in has improved over time due to the supporting project proponents and c. Explore options (including improved growing awareness by project subsidiary bodies of the AANZFTA in annual planning processes and direct proponents of the ECWP proposal preparing quality applications. support to sector agencies) to improve the guidelines. AusAID particularly quality of proposals for AECSP financing acknowledges the role of the ASU in appraising the ECWP proposals. d. Strengthen ASEC information base on d. AusAID notes that Partially agree. d. East Asia Regional Jakarta related bilateral programs and improve d. East Asia Regional Jakarta will continue within ASEC there is existing work to AECSP linkages with complementary to advocate for a more systematic approach promote donor coordination and bilateral programs. to the exchange of information on increase awareness of activity programs, particularly in Dialogue Partners’ underway. However East Asia meetings, to better identify and strengthen Regional Jakarta, rather than AECSP, linkages with complementary programs. will pursue this with ASEC and our key partners.
3. Program level planning, management and governance a. Continue to be guided by ASEC management guidelines on issues such as reporting, human resources, financial management and transparency in procurement and evaluation of program supported activities. b. Clarify budget sub-committee responsibilities and authority in addressing any concerns they may have about proposals that have already been endorsed by relevant FJC sub-committees. c. Explore options (including improved annual planning processes and direct support to sector agencies) to improve the quality of proposals for AECSP financing d. Strengthen ASEC information base on related bilateral programs and improve AECSP linkages with complementary bilateral programs. a. Agree. The delivery model for AECSP is based on a partnership involving management of the program by ASEC and AusAID is committed to continuing supporting this approach. b. Agree. AusAID agrees with the FJC response that the Economic Cooperation Budget Sub-Committee may raise technical concerns to relevant subsidiary bodies or to FJC. c. Agree. AusAID notes the importance of ensuring high quality ECWP proposals. AusAID further notes the standard of the proposals has improved over time due to the growing awareness by project proponents of the ECWP proposal guidelines. AusAID particularly acknowledges the role of the ASU in appraising the ECWP proposals. d. Partially agree. AusAID notes that within ASEC there is existing work to promote donor coordination and increase awareness of activity underway. However East Asia Regional Jakarta, rather than AECSP, will pursue this with ASEC and our key partners. a. No further action required b. No further action required c. The FJC will actively monitor the development of quality economic cooperation proposals for AECSP funding, including the role of the Economic Cooperation Budget Sub-Committee in supporting project proponents and subsidiary bodies of the AANZFTA in preparing quality applications. d. East Asia Regional Jakarta will continue to advocate for a more systematic approach to the exchange of information on programs, particularly in Dialogue Partners’ meetings, to better identify and strengthen linkages with complementary programs. c. FJC and Economic Cooperation Budget d. East Asia Regional Jakarta
aanzfta-ecsp-ipr-2013-mgt-response.docx