FrontPage

A.  General 

1. Project Overview

The project objectives must be set by those forward, in ways that address Afghan needs, and that can be sustained by them.  For the purposes of definition in this document: 

• "Domains" refer to functional areas in which services will be implemented, such as agriculture, clean water, public health, etc.
• "Services" refer to activities that directly affect the welfare and living standards of the Afghan people
• "Enablers" refer to underlying information and processes that support the development and delivery of the services.  DES-A focus on three key enablers:  distributed renewable power, communications, and information-related functions. 

Coordination mechanisms among the various public-private, whole-of-nation and trans-national elements will be decided by those forward.  However, the breadth of talent and enthusiasm of participation shown by those engaged in the planning so far suggests that there will rich resources for planners to draw on. 

To allow planners to leverage this talent, reach-back support capabilities will be made available, along with mechanisms for timely information sharing, retrieval and storage (library) services.

2. Planning processes

In 2008 Michelle Parker published a paper through the Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) at National Defense University (NDU) entitled: "Programming Development Funds to Support a Counterinsurgency: Nangarhar, Afghanistan." (http://www.ndu.edu/CTNSP/Def_Tech/DTP%2053%20Programming%20Development%20Funds.pdf). The paper included an eight-step process of strategic program development:

• Understanding the Strategic Framework

• Operationalizing the Strategy

• Determining Geographic Focus through Tribal Analysis

• Defining Project Parameters

• Conducting the Project Identification Process

• Gaining Government Approval

• Holding the PRT Project Nomination Board

• Implementation"

This construct may be useful in DES-A's Nangarhar pilot as well.  I found the methodologies for selecting villages for engagement, and discussions of engagements with Afghan authorities to be particularly valuable.

3. General sizing assumptions of the project components:

·        150 families/village X 25 villages = 3,750 families (services provided to 2 in the first quarter (Q1) after project start, 4 in Q2, 8 in Q3, 11 in Q4) [NB:  The original assumption was 300 families/village, but Chris Corsten suggests this is too high.  He has provided detailed information on the number of "beneficiary families" who would profit from microhydro in some 7 villages and sub-villages in Momandra District, 61 in Batikoot, 27 in Dehbala, 17 in Beshood and 103 from across Nangarhar.  See Microhydro survey 15 Aug 09.xls  Comments welcome.]

·        2,000 families X 4 district capitals = 8,000  (1 per quarter), one proposal is to start with Hisark, Kama, Kuz Kunar and Dara-I-Nur.  Khogyani and Achin were not recommended to avoid rewarding bad behavior. 

·        10,000 families in J-bad = 10,000 (500 in Q1, 1500 in Q2, 3000 in Q3, 5000 in Q4)

·        10,000 families in a refugee/IDP camp = 10,000 (2500 per quarter)  [Need to pick which Camp]

Total 31,750 families (est 158,750 people at 5/family) for the Nangarhar pilot by the end of 12 months. 

4. Metrics

Its very important that this project have reasoned objectives and that the metrics flow from a plan to achieve the objectives  There are two broad categories of objectives

• Fundamental objectives, which are outcome based.(e.g. an objective might be to enhance literacy.  A metric could be to increase literacy from 20% to 30% in five years.  In this approach, schools would be built to enhance education.  They're not an end in themselves.  Can cell phones and other educational approaches reduce the need for brick and mortar schools?)
• Means objectives:  How well is the plan being executed (am I getting a reasonable return on investment and is it moving toward the fundamental goals?

For each of the postulated domains and services outlined above (subject to change based on Afghan and other inputs) request provide recommended fundamental and means objectives, as well as draft metrics.

Reference:  Dr. Dave Davis, GMU

Section B: Domains and Essential Services