CCMS NEED TO MOVE FAST TO IMPLEMENT NEW REQUIREMENTS

Author:

Bernard Rivers

Article Type:

Article Number: 3

ABSTRACT CCMs wishing to apply for Round 5, or to be approved for Phase 2 renewal, will have to provide documentation proving that CCM members representing the non-government sectors have been selected by their own sector(s) based on a documented, transparent process, developed within each sector. This will require some CCMs to take some fast action.

At its November meeting, the Global Fund Board resolved that for all proposals submitted for Round 5, and for all Phase 2 renewals as of June 2005, CCMs must follow some key new requirements. Because these are requirements rather than just recommendations, the Round 5 application form can be expected to ask for proof that these requirements have been implemented.

The requirements are:

• “All CCMs are required to show evidence of membership of people living with and/or affected by the diseases;”

• “CCM members representing the non-government sectors must be selected by their own sector(s) based on a documented, transparent process, developed within each sector;”

[Note: It was made clear that “the non-government sectors” means each sector that is not part of the national government.]

• “CCMs are required to put in place and maintain a transparent, documented process to:
• Solicit and review submissions for possible integration into the proposal;
• Nominate the Principal Recipient(s) and oversee program implementation;
• Ensure the input of a broad range of stakeholders, including CCM members and non-members, in the proposal development and grant oversight process”

Many CCMs will find it difficult to show documentary proof that requirements (b) and (c) have already been put in place.

Here is a possible path forward. (Certainly there are other options. Each CCM will need to form its own judgment as to the best approach.)

1. The CCM could set up a Special Working Group (SWG) to examine which of the above requirements have not yet been implemented, and to recommend back to the CCM how to proceed in each case.
2. The CCM could adopt the SWG’s recommendations (amended as necessary), recording this in the minutes.
3. If the above two steps HAVE been completed by June 2005, the CCM could include in its Round 5 application(s), and/or in its requests for Phase 2 approval, a copy of the relevant minutes, and a copy of the accompanying documentation required in items (b) and (c) above. (Note that the documentation required in (b) is not just documentation of CCM procedures, but documentation of procedures developed within the various sectors.)
4. But if the above two steps have NOT been completed by June 2005, the CCM could submit minutes that very clearly state that it is the CCM’s intention to do these things, that the process is under way, and that the process will be completed prior to board approval of Round 5 proposals in late September.

More detailed suggestions will be provided in “The Aidspan Guide to Round 5 Applications to the Global Fund,” scheduled for release on March 17.

[Bernard Rivers (rivers@aidspan.org) is Executive Director of Aidspan and Editor of its GFO. He recently advised a large CCM on implementation of the new CCM requirements.]