International Development and Programs (Development Work) - International Development and Programs (Development Work)

USAID’s Automated Directives System (ADS), Chapter 203, states that the missions and assistance objective teams should be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their data and the extent to which the data’s integrity can be trusted to influence management decisions.

Additionally, ADS 203 emphasizes that performance data should meet data quality standards of validity, integrity, precision, reliability, and timeliness and that missions should take steps to ensure that submitted data are adequately supported.

To measure performance effectively and make informed management decisions, missions must ensure that quality data are collected and made available. USAID provides its assistance objective teams with extensive guidance to help them manage for improved results. Therefore, we make the following recommendations.

General Recommendations

• Develop and implement procedures that include data validation steps in site visits and document the results.
• Require implementing partners to develop and implement data validation steps in monitoring visits and document the results.
• Require implementing partners to validate the performance data reported and certify the accuracy of the data in their management information system.

Source: AUDIT REPORT NO. 5-492-10-013-P SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

The recommendations are derived from audit reports of the Office of the Inspector General. The source refers to the audit report, which is available on this site as part of the Audit Database Project: an educational tool for compliance with USAID regulations.  Please see the disclaimer of this site before using recommendations.