UNICEF Humanitarian Performance Monitoring Tools v. 26 May 2011
Response Plan Template
Questions and Answers Guide
What is the purpose/objective of the Response Plan?
· The Response Plan is intended for rapid onset emergencies or major scaling up of response due to deterioration in context in ongoing humanitarian situations where a new Flash Appeal is issued.
· The objective of the sudden-onset Response Plan is to determine UNICEF’s:
o Planned results for the response period (in accordance with the CCCs), including
§ Setting 2 or 3 priority high frequency monitoring indicators per sector for inclusion in UNICEF cooperation agreements and for monitoring throughout the response;
§ A separate table for UNICEF country cluster/sector lead agency plans and funding requirements.
o Funding needs, what can be re-programmed, what is available and funding gaps
o A summary of supply needs (in US$)
What does the Response Plan template cover?
· The Response Plan should include the Matrix as well as a short Narrative document.
· As indicated in the Narrative template, wherever relevant the proposed structure is consistent with the Inter-Agency Guidelines for Flash Appeals to help streamline the CO work, both building on the original FA and preparing for and feeding into the revised FA.
· The Matrix template shows the minimum contents of the plan and is intended for a light planning process to produce a flexible plan that can easily be adjusted based on the evolving context.
How is the Response Plan Template used?
· The Response Plan may often be worked out in part already in developing the first Flash Appeal and UNICEF Immediate Needs Document. However, it is also often a plan developed in more detail building on the initial FA and preparing towards the Revised Flash Appeal as more clarity emerges on the situation, the needs of the affected population and the scale of response required. Still, a Response Plan must often be worked out at the outset with limited information – on the total numbers of the affected population or precise scale or response required.
· Most often the Matrix will be developed before the Narrative, and more detailed versions by sector will be necessary to come up with the overall figures for the Matrix.
· In using the Response Plan Matrix, additional columns can be added, for example, allowing detailing of broad types of interventions to facilitate overall budget calculations. Similarly, columns can be added for partners, geographic areas however care should take that the plan itself does not become unmanageable and the planning process itself does not drag on.
· More detailed workplans and eventually Annual Work Plans (AWP) or Rolling Work Plans (RWP) will be developed at the sector level. Template examples are contained in the Xcel version of the Response Plan Matrix.
· A separate Results Framework and Simplified Integrated M&E Plan will be developed from this to show how monitoring indicators will be tracked (both the selected high frequency indicators shown here and any lower frequency outcome indicators) and related resources required.
· A separate CO Human Resources Mobilization Plan should be developed building on work done in preparedness planning – template included in the Xcel file.
· The Response Plan Matrix template uses Standard OECD-DAC Results Based Management language to facilitate use for Appeal and other external documents. Once the plan is complete it will require translation into the CO Revised Results Structure and appropriate PCRs and IRs. While there is great flexibility in how COs define the level of their PCRs and IRs COs can generally map CCCs onto PCRs and IRs as follows.
OECD-DAC Language[1] / Revised Programme Structure Language[2] / Can be mapped onto / Monitored throughImpact / Programme Component Result / · UNDAF result
· Inter-agency Appeal Result
Outcome / Intermediate Result / · Cluster Strategic Result CCC Strategic Result
· CCC Commitment
· UNICEF Partner agreement Outcome / Low frequency indicators --typically monitored through surveys at Inter-Agency level
Output / · UNICEF Partner agreement outputs / Higher frequency indicators --typically monitored through reporting by cooperation partners and field visits
· Key UNICEF CO staff should be involved in drafting the Sudden onset Response Plan including;
o Deputy Rep (lead)
o Emergency Officer (where exists)
o Section chiefs
o Head of Human Resources
o Head of Supply and Logistics
o Head of Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation section
o Heads of provincial / zonal / hub offices as relevant
o Including key surge staff in any of these roles
What should you watch for in developing the Response Plan?
Potential Challenges / SolutionsTotal number of affected people unknown
Needs assessment ongoing / · Calculate UNICEF target figures from original Flash Appeal figures
· Option: Section Chiefs may guestimate a factor to increase target numbers
Total funding unknown / · Assume Flash appeal 100% funded
· Base funding requirements on needs + UNICEF and implementing partner capacity to deliver
Plan not finalized / · The Response Plan should be seen as a working document until the response is integrated in AWPs or RWPs. Agree a cut off point for ‘Good enough’ planning with a proviso to revisit after 4 – 8 weeks to adjust targets based on updated information on needs, funding, UNICEF and implementing partner capacity. The same is true for the Human Resource Mobilization Plans, Supply Plans and Results Framework and simplified IMEP.
Plan scope ‘creep’ / · Keep the Plan focus tight. Resist the urge to add columns or use the plan for additional purposes
· Keep it in Word format
· Develop additional plans as necessary (i.e. sector specific activity plans, more detailed supply plans, plans by location etc)
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UNICEF Humanitarian Performance Monitoring Tools v. 26 May 2011
Response Plan Matrix
See XLS Matrix for full view
UNICEF Response
Cluster Lead Agency Response
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UNICEF Humanitarian Performance Monitoring Tools v. 26 May 2011
Response Plan Template -- Narrative
The Situation
Context (Draw from original Appeal, adding specifics on the impact on children and women)
· What happened? Where?
· Who is affected? Figures on affected populations, including numbers and type of population affected by the emergency – especially women and children, disaggregated to the extent possible by gender and age, and any other specific or relevant manner (e.g. number of disaster-induced IDPs, persons affected by region, livelihood, etc[3]).
Response to date
· Provide summary of CO (and RO) actions by programme sector. (Will be required input to Revised Appeal)
· Provide summary of salient support actions -- resource reallocation, staff mobilization and supplies (draw from latest SitRep update following SitRep template)
· Identify key gaps and challenges faced (Can build on original Appeal)
Humanitarian consequences and needs analysis (Draw from original Appeal, adding any new information)
· Who is most affected and why? Provide estimates, if possible, of specific groups most affected, disaggregated as far as possible and appropriate (e.g. by sex and age, by region, by livelihood, etc.).
· What are the needs (of specific groups, especially women and children, disaggregated by sex and age as much as possible) as a direct and immediate result of this crisis? (Use inference if necessary, and specify the basis for inference).
· What would be the needs in the best, worst, and most likely scenarios (if major uncertainty exists)? (Should build on content or table in original Appeal)
Scenarios -- Core elements / Effects on humanitarian needs and operations / Population Most affectedUNICEF Response Plan
Overview of UNICEF response
· Status of regular Country Programme and any impact of the humanitarian response on this
· Any change to UNICEF country presence (i.e. summary reference to any planned increase in operational locations or staffing described in further detail in sections that follow)Presence and capacity of potential UNICEF cooperation partners
· Cluster/Sector Coordination where designated country Cluster/sector Lead[4]
Programme Intervention Priorities
· Overarching programme strategy including unifying priorities.
· Explanation of response vis-a-vis CCCs especially short explanation of any CCC commitments that are omitted.
· Short narrative on the programme approach for each sector.
Partnership Strategy
§ Overall description as to how partnerships are to be expanded including cross-sectoral perspective and coordination; how to build on existing partners taking into account capacities, funding; how to draw in new international partners to fill gaps; how to engage national partners
Supply and Logistics
· Depending on timing attach First Response Supply Plan and/or Supply and Logistics Strategy
Initial Implications for Annual Management Plan/Country Programme Management Plan
· Any changes envisaged to CO management and staffing structure.
· Any new security risks and corresponding risk management measures
· Any new priorities in terms of CO management priorities
Human Resources
· Summary of internal CO redeployment and additional staff needs anticipated and depending on timing, attach Human Resources Mobilization Plan.
Simplified Humanitarian Integrated Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
· See light template in Humanitarian Performance Monitoring Toolkit. This should cover main needs assessment, monitoring and evaluative activities planned, as well as additional staff and resource needs
Annex Defining Terms
Impact
Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended. (OECD-DAC p.24[5])
Outcome
The likely or achieved short-term and medium-term effects of an intervention’s outputs (OECD-DAC p.28)
Objective
Intended impact contributing to physical, financial, institutional, social, environmental, or other benefits to a society, community, or group of people via one or more development interventions (OECD-DAC p.20)
Output
The products, capital goods and services which result from a development intervention; may also include changes resulting from the intervention which are relevant to the achievement of outcomes. (OECD-DAC p.28)
Programme Component Result (PCR) describes a significant change that is expected, often at outcome level, to which the UNICEF Country Programme will contribute, in partnership with the government, development partners, civil society and others for the sustained realization of development goals and children‟s and women‟s rights. The PCR should represent a substantive contribution by the UNICEF Programme of Cooperation to priority issues for children (UNICEF Updated Technical Note Sept 2010[6])
Intermediate Results describe UNICEF‟s planned contribution, in collaboration with others, to the achievement of the respective Programme Component Results. Intermediate results are normally at the output level (but may be at outcome level in some country contexts or for some results). The achievement of PCRs is dependent on the achievement of the respective IRs (and in most cases the achievement of results of other partners and on certain assumptions). The UNICEF Country Office, in partnership with others, has a high degree of accountability for their achievement. (UNICEF – Updated Technical Note Sept 2010)
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[1] UNICEF has traditionally used RBM language – see http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/29/21/2754804.pdf and is now moving toward “Revised Programme Structure”
[2] “Revised Programme Structure” language, see http://intranet.unicef.org/EXD/Implement360.nsf/0/BF1E629543AA1FB9852578390078AB2E/$FILE/ATTE0D8O.pdf
[3] Do not write “affected” without defining what is meant by “affected” in the country context
[4] This includes the sub-clusters of Child Protection and GBV
[5] UNICEF has traditionally used RBM language – see http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/29/21/2754804.pdf and is now moving toward “Revised Programme Structure”
[6] “Revised Programme Structure” language, see http://intranet.unicef.org/EXD/Implement360.nsf/0/BF1E629543AA1FB9852578390078AB2E/$FILE/ATTE0D8O.pdf